Fusion Message Board

In this space, visitors are invited to post any comments, questions, or skeptical observations about Philo T. Farnsworth's contributions to the field of Nuclear Fusion research.

Subject: Re: Neutron Reflectors/Moderators
Date: Apr 25, 1:02 pm
Poster: Richard Hull

On Apr 25, 1:02 pm, Richard Hull wrote:

>Anybody doing anything with beryllium, tungsten, tungsen carbide, carbon moderators/reflectors on fusors?

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My work is approaching the shielding stage and the moderator/shield issue is upon me.

I have posted on this before. I am planning on a borated parafin shield. The parafin to thermalize and boron to slow to cold the fast neuts, with perhaps a final cadmium plate absorber.

I have about 120 lbs of parafin, 50 lbs of borax and 60 lbs of cadmium on hand for this.

I have a bit of ultra pure beryllium (element collection), but this stuff is very expensive, hard to obtain and I doubt many on this list can get it in any quantity to work with on more than a microscopic scale.

To make a reflector, (neutron mirror), work you have to have a REAL flux first. With fusor III throwing out 10e5 neuts per second the flux at the case walls is only ~100 neuts/cm/sec This ain't no flux!! Certainly not in the sense of usable, out of the noise, flux needed to work with reflectors.

Richad Hull