3 ms·
In principle inertial confinement is not much different from internal combustion engines where piston compresses the mix, and the explosion energy is harvested.
by lostmsu 4y ago
In principle inertial confinement is not much different from internal combustion engines where piston compresses the mix, and the explosion energy is harvested. Here lasers compress the mix, and the explosion energy is not yet harvested (but measured).
Tokamaks (the other approach) are more like jet engines in that they sustain burning. But currently the burning in tokamaks requires more energy than it generates.
- jasonhansel 4y agoCould it be argued that we should invest more in ICF and less in tokamaks, given this result? I don't know enough about the field to say.
- lostmsu 4y agoI personally believed so since a while ago, for that exact reason. Although I was thinking more of miniaturizing the existing bomb design where fusion material is surrounded by a fission shell made of material with lower critical mass. But I am no expert either.