HIGH ELECTRON TEMPERATURES CONFIRM THAT FF-1 IS HOT
May 17, 2014
http://lawrencevilleplasmaphysics.co...t-ff-1-is-hot/
While LPPFusion’s experimental device, FF-1, remains inactive awaiting its new electrodes, a re-analysis of last year’s data shows that the electrons in the tiny plasmoid are just as hot as the ions—billions of degrees. This new analysis is important confirmation of the record 1.8 billion- degree ion temperatures published in 2012 and overcomes a limitation of that earlier data.
In that earlier paper, the mean ion energy was measured. But the measurement technique could not distinguish between ions moving as bulk motion around in a circle—trapped within the plasmoid—and random motion. It is the random motion that produces the collisions needed for fusion reactions. By analogy it is the difference between the ordered motion of cars circling a race track and the random motion of a pile-up. Collisions are bad in traffic—but good in fusion.
The new electron temperature analysis overcomes that limitation. The measurement is based on x-rays emitted when electrons collide with ions. So it only measures random, collision-generating motion. If the electrons have that much random motion, as these measurements show, then that confirms that the ion energy is also mostly random—good for producing fusion.
The x-ray data was obtained last year by filtering one detector with 3 mm of copper and another with 6 mm of copper. The more energetic the x-rays, the more would penetrate the full 6mm. So the energy of the x-rays could be measured by comparing the amount detected through the thick shield compared with those simultaneously detected through the thin shield. The more energetic the x-rays, the more energetic (hotter) the electrons that produced them.
Thanks to programming by our team’s Electrical Engineer Fred Van Roessel, we now have a program that automatically detects the x-ray peaks and lines them up in the two detectors (tricky because of the spikiness of the data). For 28 shots with clear matching of the peaks, the electron temperatures range from 90-160 keV (1.0 to 1.8 billion degrees K), just the same range as for the ion temperatures. Better yet, the electron temperature is correlated with the total fusion yield, as shown in Fig. 1. That indicates that we’re looking at the same plasmoid with both the x-ray and neutron detectors.
Figure 1. Fusion yield in billions of neutrons (from our deuterium experimental gas) is plotted against electron mean energy. The correlation indicates that both hot x-rays from the electrons and neutrons from fusion reactions are coming from the plasmoid and confirms the multi-billion-degree temperatures first reported in 2012. (100 keV energy is equivalent to 1.1 billion degrees K)
More work needs to be done before these results can be published. The ion and electron temperatures for individual shots must be compared as well as the times of the peak temperatures. But this work-in-progress is another piece of evidence that FF-1 has already achieved the temperatures needed for burning aneutronic fusion fuels.
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Helion Energy plans to Enable Profitable Fusion Energy in 2019
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The Fusion Engine will Enable Profitable Fusion Energy in 2019
Developed by Engineers to be Commercially Practical
Fast, affordable development (50 MW module, truck-sized)
Fusion is clean, safe, and generates no hazardous byproducts
Fusion energy is converted directly to electricity, eliminating capital costs
Uses demonstrated physics
Scientifically Legitimate
Fusion Engine technology supported by DOE Office of Fusion Energy
IAEA best of peer reviewed fusion paper – 2011
Field leading advocates and independent validation
4th prototype operational in Redmond, WA
How the Fusion Engine Works
Formation -Plasma is generated by ionizing gas in a Field Reversed Configuration
Accelerator -Plasma is accelerated to high velocities using pulsed magnetic fields
Collision -Two plasmas are collided and compressed to transfer kinetic energy to heat
Burn Chamber -Conditions are formed to initiate fusion of fuel
Energy Generation -Fusion plasma is converted to i) direct energy ii) fuel for further operation
Market Demand
The annual worldwide expenditure on electricity is over 3 trillion dollars. It is estimated that over 25 trillion dollars will be invested by 2030 to meet this increasing demand. The Fusion Engine is scalable and compatible with centralized and distributed infrastructure and can access new undeveloped and remote markets. The market is currently lacking a carbon free source of electricity that can meet demand for baseload and on demand power.
Competitive Advantage
Helion Energy is uniquely qualified to succeed in bringing the Fusion Engine to market:
* Helion’s technology is the only proven, practical, reactor assembly in existence with greater fusion output than any private competitor.
* The Fusion Engine was designed from the ground up to be a competitive commercial device, yet is based on demonstrated physics, technologies and Helion’s patented scientific breakthrough.
* The world renowned scientific and technical team has a deep knowledge of the science, and unique experience in the technologies and the scales required for a commercial reactor.
* The science of the Fusion Engine has been rigorously demonstrated and peer reviewed.
* Helion has radically reduced risk by validating the technology with over $5 M in DOE funding.
* The Fusion Engine is compact (semi-truck sized) will be able to generate lower cost electricity than current baseload power sources.
* The management team won the 2013 National Cleantech Open Energy Generation competition and awards at the 2014 ARPA-E Future Energy Startup competition.
Revenue Model
Helion Energy’s long term strategy is to generate revenue based on a royalty model of electricity produced with projected electricity prices of 40-60 $/MWhr (4 to 6 cents per kwh). Penetration of the new capacity market is estimated at 20% of market growth (2.5%) per annum eventually reaching 50% of new power generation worldwide – $52 B/yr. Gradual displacement of existing plants provides for continued growth to 20% of world electrical generation after 20 years with a net return of over $300 billion.
Early revenue is generated by sale of electricity produced by the pilot plant. Acquisition and exit opportunities exist after pilot plant operation in 2019.
Capital Requirements - Financials
Helion Energy’s technology has received $4+ M non-dilutive U.S. Department of Energy seed funding to demonstrate the concept at increasing scales. The team has contributed another $100k towards business development and ongoing technology development. Helion Energy is seeking a $35M Series B. This three year round has several funding gates and will demonstrate a reactor scale fusion core that will exceed the performance of any fusion energy source ever built. Series B will also demonstrate direct electricity generation and finalize the commercial power plant design. Subsequently, a commercial 50 MW pilot plant will be constructed over a two year period .
http://nextbigfuture.com/2014/07/hel...to-enable.html
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