5 ms·
True, but there are many engineering tradeoffs. Any of the listed reactions involving deuterium produce some neutrons, so those aren't desirable (plus deuterium
by 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 agoI 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 agoTritium 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 agoInteresting, 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.