WB-6 tests results: FOUR successful tests. Lab notes

[dch24]

the front lines of the anti-nuke movement

IIRC you do Nuclear Engineering. Which side of the anti-nuke movement? Hopefully pro-nuclear

[drmike]

Quite definitely pro-nuke

It was really fun - I would go to rallies carrying pro-nukes signs and get 30 to 40 people to tag along. And then they would read the signs!!! It was hilarious.

But the net end result was that the pro-nuke PR was simply "trust us" rather than "work with us". At the time my attitude was "when they are freezing their butts off in the dark, they will change their minds." While true, it's also way too late.

We still have to prove fusion can work. The technical part is easy. The politics will be a lot harder.

[MSimon]

Obviously we have to build a 100 MW job and try to make it fail.

Preferably inside a containment building that could handle a 10 GJ explosion. i.e. 100 seconds worth of fuel. An old fission reactor containment vessel from a decommissioned plant should do the trick. Or build a new one to those specs.

Deuterium fuel only.

Until we get pBj worked out.

The reason we build such an over designed containment structure is to give people confidence in the safety of the tests.

Of course that all assumes we can actually get these suckers to work.

[Helius]

IMHO; An over-designed containment vessel would be used as evidence of danger.

[Roger]

But being on the front lines of the anti-nuke movement and trying to talk sense to nut jobs taught me it won't be easy.

I would add that all the anti nuke Libs I hang out with, are very interested in Fusion, they look forward to my emails and blog posts. While many dems are taking a second look at Nuclear power in light of global warming and peak oil.
Barack Obama has taken a pro-nuclear stance.

For me. I dont see many new nukes being built in quantity over the next 20 years, and its not so much a safety issue with me. The Canadian Tar Sands needs as many as 10-12 nuclear reactors to make steam to heat the bitumen out of the soil. It might be that by the time one builds 10 nukes, Polywell will be well on its way.

[drmike]

I would add that all the anti nuke Libs I hang out with, are very interested in Fusion, they look forward to my emails and blog posts. While many dems are taking a second look at Nuclear power in light of global warming and peak oil.
Barack Obama has taken a pro-nuclear stance.

That's good to hear. In the '70's when our dependence on foreign oil was a lot less than it is now it was obvious that nukes would help. Thank goodness for global warming, I think!

For me. I dont see many new nukes being built in quantity over the next 20 years, and its not so much a safety issue with me. The Canadian Tar Sands needs as many as 10-12 nuclear reactors to make steam to heat the bitumen out of the soil. It might be that by the time one builds 10 nukes, Polywell will be well on its way.

No, but even a few keeps the engineers busy and trained. When a crunch really comes, those few can engineers can take on a bigger load.

[MSimon]

IMHO; An over-designed containment vessel would be used as evidence of danger.

You can never have too much safety. Unless really hysterical people are involved.

What ever is done will be used against the project.

[Roger]

What ever is done will be used against the project.

Yes, this is important to understand, there will always be someone smearing something. There is no reason for anyone to get their panties in a bunch over it. No cowering in the corner allowed.

The pivot point is Congress and other scientists, thats where the consensus needs to be built, as long as we have good results out of Santa Fe later this year.

If the Navy Manhattenizes WB7, I'm sure the Tokamakers will be watching, and some may even hop the fence to join the Polywell program. Of course if the Convincer is built, and gets PB-11 fusion.... IMHO the ITER may never be finished.

[Mumbles]

...The pivot point is Congress and other scientists, that's where the consensus needs to be built, as long as we have good results out of Santa Fe later this year.

If the Navy Manhattenizes WB7,...

I agree with the comment about good results being required. But IMHO, the current target audience should be the US Navy - with the trained nuclear operators and government engineers/scientists. Oh, yeah. They are the ones with the contract right now, too...

If the device works, and you can convince the Navy to build a Q>1 Polywell, then "the fuse is lit." Having Navy contracts/programs will be a fait accompli that it works. Any possible charges of fakery will be significantly reduced. (There would be no profit motive for the Navy to misrepresent the system and how it works.) Put it on a ship - even better!

Once it generates a safe track-record with the Navy, and other environmental impacts are proven (shielding requirements, residual radioactive secondary materials, operational procedures), then power companies will be falling all over themselves to get one (or many) for themselves.

Then again, if it is really as good as we can hope, the politicians will be jumping up and down to develop this for domestic power as soon as they can.

It all depends on the results of the on-going work. (It would be very interesting to see behind that green door (WB-7/Santa Fe)!)

My 2 Cents
Be Safe
Mumbles

[Roger]

But IMHO, the current target audience should be the US Navy

Ok, sure. I'm looking beyond that. At a certain point the Navy might need some back up. Thats where building consensus in Congress and the scientific community comes in... no ?

[MSimon]

But IMHO, the current target audience should be the US Navy

Ok, sure. I'm looking beyond that. At a certain point the Navy might need some back up. Thats where building consensus in Congress and the scientific community comes in... no ?

Check out the comments at ITER Is Big:

http://www.classicalvalues.com/archives ... l#comments

I was surprised at how knowledgeable most were. We have done a fair job of education so far.

The big thing is that we are ready when this hits the public perception. The critics will have to learn what we already know.

Plus we already have the Google Rankings.

[TallDave]

Plus we already have the Google Rankings.

Yeah, I was surprised to see my Polywell Update post at #4. I saw it there a couple weeks ago and realized I'd badly misstated several things. Apparently I learned a few things since then.

Joe's reference is #2, and Roger's post is #5.

[Roger]

I googled "IEC Polywell fusion" I was 4th,5th, & 6th.

IIRC Most of my tags are IEC polywell fusion Bussard.

I clicked back 3 pages, its all us... or ASkmar or Fusor...LOL.

[prestonbarrows]

Does anyone have a copy of the PDF listed in the original post?

bussard_wb6rpt080604fnl0107.pdf

If so, could you rehost it someplace? It has been taken down and can't find it anyplace else on the web.

[DeltaV]

Might be the same as this -
http://www.emc2fusion.org/RsltsNFnlConc ... 120602.pdf