Magnetic mirrors are back?

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

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

Magnetic mirrors are back?

Post by Skipjack »

Ray Sedwick of the U of Maryland gave an interesting presentation on their magnetic mirror concept at the LSI Interstellar Initiative Grants Kickoff Meeting in October.
Looks like (again?) a sheared flow and a rotating magnetic field are making a fusion concept more viable. They don't seem to see any major show stoppers so far. To be fair though, they are operating in very low TRL regimes right now, from what I understand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIT1uZIe6F8
His presentation starts about 1 hour and one minute in.
Generally, the whole meeting is interesting to watch.

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

Re: Magnetic mirrors are back?

Post by Skipjack »

More magnetic mirrors:

They are using HTSCs for end plugs. Their next machine is supposed to demonstrate Q(equivalent) and Q(electric) > 1 some time between 2024 and 2030.

Relatively simple and compact (for fusion reactor standards). Will be interesting to watch that group. Hope they stay funded.

https://burningplasma.org/resources/ref ... Forest.pdf

Munchausen
Posts: 226
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:36 pm
Location: Nikaloukta

Re: Magnetic mirrors are back?

Post by Munchausen »

Nice reading.

I have read somewhere that the gas dynamic trap needed 2 kilometers of reaction chamber to reach break even.

Great news if they can make it in a short stump of tubing with HT superconductors.

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