Polywell revisited

[KitemanSA]

Y'all really should read the latest published work. It speaks to much of which you debate.
The shot based machines taught the team much, up to and including WB-X.
The simulation work has validated and extended the physical data learning even further.
The next logical step in the research is to complete some of the outstanding Sim work, and get back to physical testing to validate and provide data for the next step: Sim/Design/Build a breakeven proof of concept.
The prior criticisms have been addressed, mostly in them no longer being applicable based on changed understanding and approach.

Great, but do that design cycle with Bussard’s true polywell, no more of the cheap, leaky, toroid based units. The real ones would not be THAT hard to make!

[KitemanSA]

Also going back to the analogy of inflating the balloon fast enough to close off the electron escape routes (cusps) quickly:

What is a better alternative to electron guns for injecting electrons?

Was inflating the balloon fast enough to Beta = 1 always the elephant in the room for Polywell? And, to review, newer and more capable ion injection might save polywell?

A “gun” requires a large voltage differential. You can get it within the gun itself or between an emitter and the MaGrid. The second helps keep the electrons that leak thru the cusps.
The real issue is getting a better MaGrid design, not the very leaky toroid messes.

[sd_matt]

Also going back to the analogy of inflating the balloon fast enough to close off the electron escape routes (cusps) quickly:

What is a better alternative to electron guns for injecting electrons?

Was inflating the balloon fast enough to Beta = 1 always the elephant in the room for Polywell? And, to review, newer and more capable ion injection might save polywell?

A “gun” requires a large voltage differential. You can get it within the gun itself or between an emitter and the MaGrid. The second helps keep the electrons that leak thru the cusps.
The real issue is getting a better MaGrid design, not the very leaky toroid messes.

I believe you said the magrid being grounded is a bad thing. Why is this?

[sd_matt]

Also going back to the analogy of inflating the balloon fast enough to close off the electron escape routes (cusps) quickly:

What is a better alternative to electron guns for injecting electrons?

Was inflating the balloon fast enough to Beta = 1 always the elephant in the room for Polywell? And, to review, newer and more capable ion injection might save polywell?

A “gun” requires a large voltage differential. You can get it within the gun itself or between an emitter and the MaGrid. The second helps keep the electrons that leak thru the cusps.
The real issue is getting a better MaGrid design, not the very leaky toroid messes.

In years past you all talked about toroidal electromagnets being replaced with octogon(?) shaped magnets. This would be to tighten up the cusps?

[KitemanSA]

I believe you said the magrid being grounded is a bad thing. Why is this?

Unit won’t keep electrons the squeeze thru the cusps.

[KitemanSA]

In years past you all talked about toroidal electromagnets being replaced with octogon(?) shaped magnets. This would be to tighten up the cusps?

IMHO, yes. The main benefit is the elimination of line cusps which are leaky.

[sd_matt]

I believe you said the magrid being grounded is a bad thing. Why is this?

Unit won’t keep electrons the squeeze thru the cusps.

I don't follow the verbiage

[sd_matt]

For a six sided polyhedron would this do it?

https://x.com/Robert_Meov/status/205028 ... 85974?s=20

[KitemanSA]

I believe you said the magrid being grounded is a bad thing. Why is this?

Unit won’t keep electrons the squeeze thru the cusps.

I don't follow the verbiage

Ok. How can I help.
Unit = MaGrid and the rest of the system, but mainly the MaGrid.
MaGrid = Magnetic Grid, the system of magnets and charge that draws electrons inside and keeps them there, and recaptures many of those that leak. When I wrote “keep the electrons”, I was short-speaking “recapture the electrons”.
Electrons?
Cusps?
Squeeze thru = escape the inside to the outside of the MaGrid thru the cusps.
Unfortunately my disdigita caused me to type “electrons the squeeze” rather than “ electrons THAT squeeze”.
Anything else?

[KitemanSA]

For a six sided polyhedron would this do it?

https://x.com/Robert_Meov/status/205028 ... 85974?s=20

TRULY awful design. Almost totally line cusps.

To reprise a prior post, there MUST be an even number of magnets meeting at each vertex. Anything else is doomed.

In case you are thinking that the WB series didn’t have an even number, it actually did. At each vertex (where the toroids made closest approach) there are two real, toroidal magnets and two virtual grossly deformed triangular magnets.

[sd_matt]

Unit won’t keep electrons the squeeze thru the cusps.

I don't follow the verbiage

Ok. How can I help.
Unit = MaGrid and the rest of the system, but mainly the MaGrid.
MaGrid = Magnetic Grid, the system of magnets and charge that draws electrons inside and keeps them there, and recaptures many of those that leak. When I wrote “keep the electrons”, I was short-speaking “recapture the electrons”.
Electrons?
Cusps?
Squeeze thru = escape the inside to the outside of the MaGrid thru the cusps.
Unfortunately my disdigita caused me to type “electrons the squeeze” rather than “ electrons THAT squeeze”.
Anything else?

Ok I think I get it. The magrid being grounded does not adequately stop electrons from squeezing past the magnets. So the magrid shouldn't be grounded...what is it currently grounded to? ...part of a generator circuit..earth ground? Stupid question I'm sure. My understanding is kinda here and there.

[sd_matt]

For a six sided polyhedron would this do it?

https://x.com/Robert_Meov/status/205028 ... 85974?s=20

TRULY awful design. Almost totally line cusps.

To reprise a prior post, there MUST be an even number of magnets meeting at each vertex. Anything else is doomed.

In case you are thinking that the WB series didn’t have an even number, it actually did. At each vertex (where the toroids made closest approach) there are two real, toroidal magnets and two virtual grossly deformed triangular magnets.

The vertices being the closest approach, where the magnets are closest together....two toroidal magnets. On either side of these vertices, the sort of triangle opening between magnets...the virtual magnets. Virtual magnets being where multiple magnetic fields come together? One side of the funny cusp?

[KitemanSA]

The vertices being the closest approach, where the magnets are closest together....two toroidal magnets. On either side of these vertices, the sort of triangle opening between magnets...the virtual magnets. Virtual magnets being where multiple magnetic fields come together? One side of the funny cusp?

Yes, the vertex is the closest approach of the toroids in the WB series,

The vertex is where the “funny” cusp should be, but since the toroids spread across the vertex too broadly, the WB has line cusps instead. Line cusps are supposed to be far leakier than point or funny cusps. But, since they have not yet built a machine that produces funny cusps instead of line, that is still theoretical.

Note that a spherical machine with a conformal cube-octahedral MaGrid would have funny cusps where every magnet would meet with 90 degree corners, both the squares and the triangles. Amazing how spherical geometry works!

[KitemanSA]

Ok I think I get it. The magrid being grounded does not adequately stop electrons from squeezing past the magnets. So the magrid shouldn't be grounded...what is it currently grounded to? ...part of a generator circuit..earth ground? Stupid question I'm sure. My understanding is kinda here and there.

Being grounded prevents the MaGrid from recapturing the electrons that do squeeze thru the cusps.
Grounded to the chamber wall. With no positive potential tween the MaGrid and the chamber wall, the electrons just fly on out and dump their energy into said wall. If the MaGrid has a great enough positive potential, it will draw the electrons back (recapture them).

[sd_matt]

Ok I think I get it. The magrid being grounded does not adequately stop electrons from squeezing past the magnets. So the magrid shouldn't be grounded...what is it currently grounded to? ...part of a generator circuit..earth ground? Stupid question I'm sure. My understanding is kinda here and there.

Being grounded prevents the MaGrid from recapturing the electrons that do squeeze thru the cusps.
Grounded to the chamber wall. With no positive potential tween the MaGrid and the chamber wall, the electrons just fly on out and dump their energy into said wall. If the MaGrid has a great enough positive potential, it will draw the electrons back (recapture them).

Besides not making the chamber a ground what about charging the chamber wall? Or would you end up trapping electrons between the chamber and magrid?