Tabletop Double Crystal Fusion at Room Temp

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a tabletop accelerator that produces nuclear fusion at room temperature, providing confirmation of an earlier experiment conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), while offering substantial improvements over the original design.

The device, which uses two opposing crystals to generate a powerful electric field, could potentially lead to a portable, battery-operated neutron generator for a variety of applications, from non-destructive testing to detecting explosives and scanning luggage at airports. The new results are described in the Feb. 10 issue of Physical Review Letters.

"Our study shows that 'crystal fusion' is a mature technology with considerable commercial potential," says Yaron Danon, associate professor of mechanical, aerospace, and nuclear engineering at Rensselaer. "This new device is simpler and less expensive than the previous version, and it has the potential to produce even more neutrons."


[url=http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-02/rpi-cf021306.php]Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute [/url

Maybe we will skip right passed all the other tech and build lots of little fusion reactors to power everything.

Decentralizing, and using seawater as an energy source might sound like fantasy, but it is becoming more likely every day.

This is promising, but being cynical, big Oil will purchase the rights to it and shelf it.......damn.

Sorry for the short reply, but I don't think anything that could produce clean and free energy will never exist as long as big oil runs the show....

follow the $$$$$$$$

'Tis a neutron source powered by a battery nothing more. Call me when they reach the break even point then I'll get excited.

It has real potential for Medical Imaging and Explosives detection though.

[edit on 23-2-2006 by sardion2000]

Call me when they reach the break even point then I'll get excited.

Forget about trying to turn it into a power source...

Just make a bomb out of it.

That would make me happy.

Oh... wait... nevermind.

Well I would be happy in a way. Not that they made a bomb out of it, but that they achieved the break even point. :shrug:

Die quickly by dozens of fusion bombs or die slowly choking on our own waste products. Tough decision

Originally posted by sardion2000
'Tis a neutron source powered by a battery nothing more. Call me when they reach the break even point then I'll get excited.

Ring Ring

Fusion power is useful energy generated by nuclear fusion reactions. In this kind of reaction two light atomic nuclei fuse together to form a heavier nucleus and release energy. The largest current experiment, JET, has resulted in fusion power production somewhat larger than the power put into the plasma, maintained for a few seconds. In June 2005, the construction of the experimental reactor ITER, designed to produce several times more fusion power than the power into the plasma over many minutes, was announced. The production of net electrical power from fusion is planned for the next generation experiment after ITER.

WIKI

That is a regular fusion reactor which I'm not disputing the real energy generation potential which I know have been achieved(briefly). This is not conventional fusion. From the article you posted...

www.eurekalert.org...

"Nuclear fusion has been explored as a potential source of power, but we are not looking at this as an energy source right now," Danon says. Rather, the most immediate application may come in the form of a battery-operated, portable neutron generator. Such a device could be used to detect explosives or to scan luggage at airports, and it could also be an important tool for a wide range of laboratory experiments.

If it needs a battery to produce neutrons then it's not a self-sustaining fusion reaction.

I'm not disputing the potential though.

I posted about a similiar tabletop fusion device that uses a process dubbed "Sonofusion"

www.abovetopsecret.com...

This seems more practicle though.



Here is a look at the inside of the reaction torus at the JET Fusion labratory in case your curious which it seems you are.

www.jet.efda.org...

[edit on 23-2-2006 by sardion2000]

[edit on 23-2-2006 by sardion2000]

Originally posted by ArchAngel
The largest current experiment, JET, has resulted in fusion power production somewhat larger than the power put into the plasma, maintained for a few seconds.

Even that is misleading. The power production was calculated thermal power. Everyone knows that conversion from thermal to electrical power you have losses. Assuming a conversion efficiency between 20-33%, that's still a factor 3-5 short for electrical energy production that reaches break even.

I've been looking for a good tabletop neutron generator for a long time.

This IS good news!