EMC2 in the news with DOE FPNS proposal!

Point out news stories, on the net or in mainstream media, related to polywell fusion.

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johndaly
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2015 6:53 am

EMC2 in the news with DOE FPNS proposal!

Post by johndaly »

EMC2 appears to be alive!
https://www.regulations.gov/comment/DOE ... -0038-0025
Executive Summary: SHINE, in collaboration with EMC2, has explored a technological solution to support DOE FES's Bold Decadal Vision for Commercial Fusion Energy. Our approach combines SHINE's expertise in fusion neutron source commercialization with EMC2’s technology leadership in high-density Polywell plasma operation to develop a compact high displacement rate Fusion Prototypic Neutron Source (FPNS).

Giorgio
Posts: 3061
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:15 pm
Location: China, Italy

Re: EMC2 in the news with DOE FPNS proposal!

Post by Giorgio »

The PDF attached to the presentation has the juicy details:

● Plasma target radius: 8.5 cm
● Plasma target temperature: 500 eV
● Magnetic field strength: 2–3 T at boundary, 4–5 T on surface of coil casing
● Ion beam energy: 150–200 keV
● Ion beam power: 5–6 MW
● Fusion power output: 350 kW
● Displacement rate: 10 dpa/cy at 10 cm sample radial location
● Neutron energy: 14 MeV DT fusion neutrons
● Sample volume: 50–500 cm3
● Steady-state heat flux to PFCs: below 5 MW/m


● Task 1: Experimentally demonstrate high density plasma target formation and
sustainment for a 20 cm radius plasma target by retrofitting an existing 6-coil Polywell
system and including installation of new plasma injectors and ion beam injectors.
● Task 2: Conduct Polywell confinement scaling experiments in a compact plasma target as
a function of magnetic field and beam input power.
● Task 3: Reduce the plasma target size by a factor of two and repeat task 1 and 2 with a
10 cm radius plasma target
● Task 4: Characterize ion beam injection efficiency and heat exhaust properties in two
different Polywell plasma target sizes
● Task 5: Conduct first-principles plasma simulations and benchmark the simulation results
with experimental data to establish ion beam driven Polywell FPNS scaling for making a
“go” or “no-go” decision
● Task 6: If needed, add electron beam injectors and other actuators to improve the
Polywell confinement efficiency for a 5–15 dpa/cy FPNS system.
● Task 7: Design megawatt-scale ion beam injector, integrated engineering for a magnetic
coil and sample temperature control system and handling of heat exhaust.
● Task 8: Design FPNS facility, including supporting systems such as tritium handling,
shielding, etc.
The estimated R&D cost for the above tasks for the first 24 months is $20M.
A society of dogmas is a dead society.

ladajo
Posts: 6258
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 11:18 pm
Location: North East Coast

Re: EMC2 in the news with DOE FPNS proposal!

Post by ladajo »

What's truly interesting here is the proposal looks very dependent on EMC2 IP and expertise.
The underlaying story here seems to be SHINE saying they can't do it without EMC2 Polywell, and EMC2 looking like they could do it without SHINE. Thus, it reads as if SHINE is essentially EMC2's customer for the heart of the effort where Polywell is providing the high density plasma without which it can't be done.
I have to wonder if EMC2 has other potential customers or investment lined up. The fusion industry is taking off and it seems EMC2 might be positioned to be at the center of things in a 100s of Billion Dollar market, especially just looking at the materials development side with a large scale neutron generator.
It seems interesting things are afoot!
The development of atomic power, though it could confer unimaginable blessings on mankind, is something that is dreaded by the owners of coal mines and oil wells. (Hazlitt)
What I want to do is to look up C. . . . I call him the Forgotten Man. (Sumner)

Skipjack
Posts: 6805
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2008 2:29 pm

Re: EMC2 in the news with DOE FPNS proposal!

Post by Skipjack »

I am cautiously optimistic that something will come from this for Polywell. Hope this works out for everyone involved!

Giorgio
Posts: 3061
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:15 pm
Location: China, Italy

Re: EMC2 in the news with DOE FPNS proposal!

Post by Giorgio »

By reading the PDF in details and by reading SHINE website, I think is easy to understand the situation.

SHINE has contacts and some expertise, but it lacks an advanced technological framework that can give them an edge over competitors, so in truth their contribution is limited and they cannot really move on without EMC2.
EMC2, on the other hand, has the technological expertise and a good understanding of the theoretical framework that might lead to a working prototype of the Polywell. In addition, all the fusion advances and published papers by other teams should have given them quite a more solid simulation model by now, and if SHINE is so interested it means that they saw some solid facts during their discovery process into EMC2 technology.

While I understand the willingness of EMC2 to move on with someone that is able to actually source some funds to start again real experimental work, I believe they should not hurry and put themselves in the hands of SHINE, unless they have a very strong technological and financial agreement, and/or the upper hand on the research/investments directions. Anything SHINE has to offer is related to the commercial side of the business and it can be easily obtained by several other companies out there.

It could be more wise for EMC2 to consider again one of the other offers that they received before and that I know are still sitting on their table, even if it means to go into stealth mode for another couple of years....

Investment in Fusion is finally blooming thanks to the technological maturity of most of the main components needed to achieve fusion, and I strongly believe that all the companies that spent the last 20 years to make real research will soon find themselves flooded by proposals.
A society of dogmas is a dead society.

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