6 ms·

I'm interested in the approach being investigated at LPPFusion, on a shoestring budget no less. http://lppfusion.com/ http://lppfusion.com/ LPPFusion is attem

I'm interested in the approach being investigated at LPPFusion, on a shoestring budget no less. http://lppfusion.com/ http://lppfusion.com/ LPPFusion is attempting to harness hydrogen-boron fusion, which doesn't produce neutrons, only gamma radiation and helium nuclei (alpha particles). Both the gamma radiation and the alpha particles can be directly converted into electricity. There are many potential benefits of this approach, but a primary one is that with no neutrons, there is no nuclear waste (or potentially plutonium) produced. I hope LPPFusion can secure substantially more funding, it's doing more worthwhile research than the majority currently being done.

_rpd 9y ago
There are a whole bunch of options for aneutronic fusion ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aneutronic_fusion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aneutronic_fusion
- Recurecur 9y ago
  True, but there are many engineering tradeoffs. Any of the listed reactions involving deuterium produce some neutrons, so those aren't desirable (plus deuterium and tritium are rare). Of the other reactions, neither Li-6 or N-15 are readily available, plus lithium is highly chemically reactive. The proton-boron reaction requires the lowest input energy (temperature) of the desirable aneutronic reactions, so it's the hot ticket...so to speak.
  - _rpd 9y ago
    I agree about focusing on the proton-boron reaction. I meant to refer to other fusion technologies that can sustain the reaction. As well as dense plasma focus (the Lawrenceville group that you linked), there is Polywell, Tri Alpha, the Z-machine, and some interesting laser-accelerated proton beam experiments.
  - DennisP 9y ago
    Tritium is rare, and has to be bred from lithium, but deuterium isn't the least bit rare. There's enough deuterium in your morning shower to provide all your energy needs for a year, and enough in the oceans to last until the sun goes out. (Plenty of boron too, though it's not so absurdly abundant as deuterium.)
    - Recurecur 9y ago
      Interesting, I'd never really looked into that...perhaps someday we'll figure out a good solution for thermal neutrons.
  - trhway 9y ago
    >neither Li-6 or N-15 are readily available, plus lithium is highly chemically reactive. your laptop battery (100wh) has something like on the scale of 1 grams of Li6, and the separation is pretty easy.
zamalek 9y ago
It's amazing how the human race is 'leaping ahead' the nowadays. Historically we've taken evolutionary steps, e.g. the steam engine to the combustion engine. A well-established paradigm is mastered before the next. Now, while we have people exploring 'easier' forms of fusion, we have people exploring the harder forms of fusion. Although we don't live in the most exciting times (space-faring and everything after being the most), we are at the crux of all future human endeavors. Exciting times.

_rpd 9y ago

There are a whole bunch of options for aneutronic fusion ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aneutronic_fusion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aneutronic_fusion

Recurecur 9y ago
True, but there are many engineering tradeoffs. Any of the listed reactions involving deuterium produce some neutrons, so those aren't desirable (plus deuterium and tritium are rare). Of the other reactions, neither Li-6 or N-15 are readily available, plus lithium is highly chemically reactive. The proton-boron reaction requires the lowest input energy (temperature) of the desirable aneutronic reactions, so it's the hot ticket...so to speak.
- _rpd 9y ago
  I agree about focusing on the proton-boron reaction. I meant to refer to other fusion technologies that can sustain the reaction. As well as dense plasma focus (the Lawrenceville group that you linked), there is Polywell, Tri Alpha, the Z-machine, and some interesting laser-accelerated proton beam experiments.
- DennisP 9y ago
  Tritium is rare, and has to be bred from lithium, but deuterium isn't the least bit rare. There's enough deuterium in your morning shower to provide all your energy needs for a year, and enough in the oceans to last until the sun goes out. (Plenty of boron too, though it's not so absurdly abundant as deuterium.)
  - Recurecur 9y ago
    Interesting, I'd never really looked into that...perhaps someday we'll figure out a good solution for thermal neutrons.
- trhway 9y ago
  >neither Li-6 or N-15 are readily available, plus lithium is highly chemically reactive. your laptop battery (100wh) has something like on the scale of 1 grams of Li6, and the separation is pretty easy.

zamalek 9y ago

It's amazing how the human race is 'leaping ahead' the nowadays. Historically we've taken evolutionary steps, e.g. the steam engine to the combustion engine. A well-established paradigm is mastered before the next. Now, while we have people exploring 'easier' forms of fusion, we have people exploring the harder forms of fusion. Although we don't live in the most exciting times (space-faring and everything after being the most), we are at the crux of all future human endeavors. Exciting times.