London

Consider specific people in the fusion research community, business, or politics who should be made aware of polywell research, and how we might reach them.

Moderators: tonybarry, MSimon

Post Reply
Nick Barsley
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:25 pm
Location: London, UK

London

Post by Nick Barsley »

Hi everyone,

I'm based in London and have been reading with great interest a huge amount about the Polywell, both online and in the academic journals over the last year.

I studied aeronautical engineering (including plenty of EM theory, structures, thermals, etc...) at both Cambridge and MIT. After working as an engineer at Rolls-Royce working on jet engine manufacture I did an MBA and moved into the world of business consulting. Often advising PE firms on investment decisions, etc...Although I've moved into the more business side of the world, I've retained a keen passion and interest in all things technology and have many small projects on the go.

In summary, I'm able to understand a lot of the physics, maths, and engineering surrounding the current thinking on the Polywell, and have a good knowledge of financial requirements (NPV, ROCe, etc... ) and attracting investor support.

If anyone reading this is based in London / UK and would like to connect to discuss fusion technology and perhaps collaborate, please do let me know. I live in a flat in west London with no obvious place available to experiment.

KitemanSA
Posts: 6179
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2008 3:05 pm
Location: OlyPen WA

Re: London

Post by KitemanSA »

Welcome Nick. Good luck in finding compatriots. You may want to put your location in you personal data.

Nick Barsley
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:25 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: London

Post by Nick Barsley »

Thanks Kiteman, I've updated my profile. No luck connecting so far... I'll keep an eye out in the forum. I'm also heading along to a visit around the UK's fusion research centre soon (they run public tours once a month) - I'll ask about Polywells there and see what reaction I get.

I'd love to understand more about why the fusion community went the Tokamak route over IEC devices. I'm so attracted to the logic that I've heard so far - sunk cost in Tokamaks, a need to fund something at the risk of nothing, a lack of willingness to seriously invest in a series of technologies (it admits some won't work), etc... but those feel too 'easy' somehow to me. What about the underlying science?

If anyone has any views they could share or resources which are worth a read I'd be very interested in a 'science fundamentals' perspective on why investment went to the Tokamak. I want to believe the arguments above (they certainly are ones I can imagine resonating with investors), but what about the underlying physics?

All the best,
Nick

KitemanSA
Posts: 6179
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2008 3:05 pm
Location: OlyPen WA

Re: London

Post by KitemanSA »

Nick Barsley wrote:Thanks Kiteman, I've updated my profile. No luck connecting so far... I'll keep an eye out in the forum. I'm also heading along to a visit around the UK's fusion research centre soon (they run public tours once a month) - I'll ask about Polywells there and see what reaction I get.
My bet, a blank stare. Don't get too discouraged.

KitemanSA
Posts: 6179
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2008 3:05 pm
Location: OlyPen WA

Re: London

Post by KitemanSA »

Nick Barsley wrote: I'd love to understand more about why the fusion community went the Tokamak route over IEC devices. I'm so attracted to the logic that I've heard so far - sunk cost in Tokamaks, a need to fund something at the risk of nothing, a lack of willingness to seriously invest in a series of technologies (it admits some won't work), etc... but those feel too 'easy' somehow to me. What about the underlying science?
IEC devices can never work. Polywell is a variant that does not have the same fatal flaw. But it didn't exist, even conceptually, at the time. Besides, at the very early beginnings, toks were something that the US & the USSR could do together which was important to some politicians.

Post Reply