Greetings All,
In preparation for (I hope) a F.A.Q. forum here in the Technical Group, I would like to start compiling several lists. Rather than responding to this topic, PLEASE send me a PM, several actually, listing the following things.
1. Glossary:
What words or phrases should be listed in a Glossary about this subject. They can be about fundamental physics, the Polywell itself, or even terms made up by folks herein (PB&J comes to mind).
2. History:
What were your first questions about the history of this thing called Polywell?
3. Theory:
What were your first questions about how this thing was SUPPOSED to run?
4. Design:
What questions did you have early on regarding the design of Polywell and early versions of it, and what proposals are commonly discussed for future versions?
5. Other:
What other questions do you think should be in a Technical F.A.Q. forum?
I will compile the list and the publish it and ask for your input on what the answers should be.
The Beginnings of a F.A.Q.
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Billy Catringer
- Posts: 221
- Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 2:32 pm
- Location: Texas
KitemanSA wrote:I suspect that all the F.A.Q.s will have a bit of pro and con.TallDave wrote:I think a list of standard arguments pro- and anti- would be good too. We seem to spend a lot of time rehashing those.
I think the pro's and con's should go into a separate document. The glossary is important. A basic explanation of how fusors work versus how the polywell system works is order for the faq. A glossary could fit into a faq fairly well. Clear, succinct explanations about Maxwellian distribution that a layman could understand would help, et cetera.
Those are actually close to the same thing, enough so that many claims are going to be arguments pro or con.I think the pro's and con's should go into a separate document. The glossary is important. A basic explanation of how fusors work versus how the polywell system works is order for the faq.
For instance, does a Polywell anneal ion veolcities at the edge as Bussard claimed? That's in oppostion to Rider's conclusion that the recirculating power fraction in all IEC devices is too high for net power. Does a Polywell confine ions to the interior of the device, or is the plasma in the cusps quasineutral? Does recirculation happen (or is it oscillation) or is it impossible as Art has maintained?
Definitions of point, edge, linier, corner, funny,etc. cusps.
Why are Debye sheaths important?
What are the differances between 'beamed' IEC and thermal plasmas.
Why does the positively charged magrid not electrostatically effect ions or electrons within it? What happens when they are outside the magrid?
Why do most of the electrons bounce around inside the magrid, instead of quickly accumulating near the magnets (due to mutual electron repulsion)? Is there alot of rebounding of the electrons off the magnetic field lines as opposed to mostly curving of their flight paths to parellel the magnetic field lines?
What is ignition, and why is it unnessisary for Polywells?
What is sputtering?
What is a virtual cathode, anode?
How is magnetic field strength measured- Gauss, Tesla, Amp Turns?
Why does the predicted power output scale to the 4th power of the magnetic field strength, and 3rd power of linier size?
Why does the power input scale as the 2nd power? Second power of what- the magnetic field strength, linier size, or some product of both?
Dan Tibbets
Why are Debye sheaths important?
What are the differances between 'beamed' IEC and thermal plasmas.
Why does the positively charged magrid not electrostatically effect ions or electrons within it? What happens when they are outside the magrid?
Why do most of the electrons bounce around inside the magrid, instead of quickly accumulating near the magnets (due to mutual electron repulsion)? Is there alot of rebounding of the electrons off the magnetic field lines as opposed to mostly curving of their flight paths to parellel the magnetic field lines?
What is ignition, and why is it unnessisary for Polywells?
What is sputtering?
What is a virtual cathode, anode?
How is magnetic field strength measured- Gauss, Tesla, Amp Turns?
Why does the predicted power output scale to the 4th power of the magnetic field strength, and 3rd power of linier size?
Why does the power input scale as the 2nd power? Second power of what- the magnetic field strength, linier size, or some product of both?
Dan Tibbets
To error is human... and I'm very human.
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Mike Holmes
- Posts: 308
- Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2008 1:15 pm
Note that a Glossary is a good idea if, and only if, the terms are put into the context of the Polywell. For instance, somebody can look up the term Maxwellian Distribution, and this might not give them any idea what the pertinence was when used in conjunction with the discussion of the Polywell. A repitition of such a definition locally doesn't benefit anyone. So the entry for Maxwellian should be like:
Maxwellian
Refers to a Maxwellian Distribution (link here to Wikipedia definition) of the energies of the electrons in the polywell. If, in fact, the distribution is Maxwellian, this would be a problem with polywell because... [blah, blah, blah, technical stuff].
Don't include the full discussion (though you may want to provide sample links). Just give enough so that somebody looking at the glossary can understand enough of the context of the use of the term so that they can either start looking through the archives themselves, or ask a pertinent question.
Wikipedia any many other sources function just fine for people to look up terms... a local glossary has to give the local connotation over the global denotation.
FAQ questions:
What are the supposed benefits of a successful Polywell fusion solution over other solutions?
What sort of fusion reactions is Polywell theorized to be capable of producing?
Who is working directly on Polywell? Where?
Who is funding the direct research? Why don't we hear more about Polywell tests and results?
Who is doing related research? Where? Are there any companies producing related technologies?
What were the latest tests done? On what models? What looks to be the next step?
Who came up with the concept for Polywell (who is this Bussard guy)?
What is the concern over Brehmstralung radiation in conjunction with Polywell?
What are other major concerns about potential problems with the Polywell solution (this one can be broken down into several of Art's objections like recirculation problems)?
If net power can be produced what form would it take? How might we make this into useable energy?
What major engineering problems would have to be overcome, assuming net power can be produced? Will cooling even be possible?
What is the airspeed velocity of a coconut laden swallow? African or European?
Mike
Maxwellian
Refers to a Maxwellian Distribution (link here to Wikipedia definition) of the energies of the electrons in the polywell. If, in fact, the distribution is Maxwellian, this would be a problem with polywell because... [blah, blah, blah, technical stuff].
Don't include the full discussion (though you may want to provide sample links). Just give enough so that somebody looking at the glossary can understand enough of the context of the use of the term so that they can either start looking through the archives themselves, or ask a pertinent question.
Wikipedia any many other sources function just fine for people to look up terms... a local glossary has to give the local connotation over the global denotation.
FAQ questions:
What are the supposed benefits of a successful Polywell fusion solution over other solutions?
What sort of fusion reactions is Polywell theorized to be capable of producing?
Who is working directly on Polywell? Where?
Who is funding the direct research? Why don't we hear more about Polywell tests and results?
Who is doing related research? Where? Are there any companies producing related technologies?
What were the latest tests done? On what models? What looks to be the next step?
Who came up with the concept for Polywell (who is this Bussard guy)?
What is the concern over Brehmstralung radiation in conjunction with Polywell?
What are other major concerns about potential problems with the Polywell solution (this one can be broken down into several of Art's objections like recirculation problems)?
If net power can be produced what form would it take? How might we make this into useable energy?
What major engineering problems would have to be overcome, assuming net power can be produced? Will cooling even be possible?
What is the airspeed velocity of a coconut laden swallow? African or European?
Mike
How about a 30 second "elevator talk" script.
When I get asked about polywell I often have no more than 30 seconds before their eyes glaze over.
I've lost many an opportunity to spread the word because I can't explain it quickly or simply enough.
Maybe one for techies and one for non-techies.
It's even harder if they don't even know what fusion is. (Yes, believe it or not there are lots of them.)
Few people will spend the time to listen to the qoogle u-tube talk until they are already partly hooked, or intrigued as it is quite a time investment for most people.
When I get asked about polywell I often have no more than 30 seconds before their eyes glaze over.
I've lost many an opportunity to spread the word because I can't explain it quickly or simply enough.
Maybe one for techies and one for non-techies.
It's even harder if they don't even know what fusion is. (Yes, believe it or not there are lots of them.)
Few people will spend the time to listen to the qoogle u-tube talk until they are already partly hooked, or intrigued as it is quite a time investment for most people.
-Tom Boydston-
"If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn’t be called research, would it?" ~Albert Einstein
"If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn’t be called research, would it?" ~Albert Einstein
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Art Carlson
- Posts: 794
- Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:56 am
- Location: Munich, Germany
spreadsheet
What I'd like to have - though I don't know if it's a FAQ and I don't know if it is technically possible - is an Excel spreadsheet with the relationships among the various parameters. There would be input: radius, field strength, maybe a few more like voltage and ion mass. And there would be derived quantities: density (at beta = 1), electron gyroradius, ion gyroradius, electron collision time, fusion output, confinement time according to various models. There would be at least two sets of inputs pre-programmed: WB7 and Bussard's idea of a reactor. It would save a lot of time looking up and (re-)calculating basic quantities, it would be an immediate and quantitative reminder of the most important physical effects, and it would allow all of us to play scenarios with the parameters.
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Art Carlson
- Posts: 794
- Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:56 am
- Location: Munich, Germany
need a wiki
This bulletin board format is a difficult medium for building a FAQ collaboratively. What we need is a wiki. Then we could skip the discussion and just start building.Indrek wrote:The most important thing about a FAQ is writing it. Not discussing it.
Re: need a wiki
DOES ANYONE ON THIS FORUM KNOW HOW TO SET UP A WIKI?Art Carlson wrote:This bulletin board format is a difficult medium for building a FAQ collaboratively. What we need is a wiki. Then we could skip the discussion and just start building.Indrek wrote:The most important thing about a FAQ is writing it. Not discussing it.
If so, either volunteer to do so, or let me know how to start.
Thanks.
PS: Until then, and maybe even after then, I will try to get the RESULTS posted here on a forum called FAQ using sticky posts.
If you insist on being spoonfed. Go to google and type in "free wiki".
You'll find a 100 different services that offer it for free. One thing though: go with one that supports latex style math equations. That's a critical issue.
Now getting an equivalent of say http://www.talk-polywell.org/wiki/ would be nicer, but you have to talk with this site's administrator on if it could be done. Having said that. Supporting latexy equations on this forum would be a boon too.
You'll find a 100 different services that offer it for free. One thing though: go with one that supports latex style math equations. That's a critical issue.
Now getting an equivalent of say http://www.talk-polywell.org/wiki/ would be nicer, but you have to talk with this site's administrator on if it could be done. Having said that. Supporting latexy equations on this forum would be a boon too.
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Munchausen
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- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:36 pm
- Location: Nikaloukta