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In reply to the discussion: Major breakthrough on nuclear fusion energy [View all]rolypolychloe
(56 posts)It's a pulse device. It creates plasmoids that compress/pinch the gas until it fuses. They do this routinely btw. They have demonstrated a temperature over a billion degrees, enough for a Hydrogen-Boron fusion reaction, which doesn't produce neutrons, just alpha particles. It doesn't boil water but instead captures power as the alpha particles pass through coils. It also captures X-ray energy. What they are currently working on now is making it reliable. The vast current going through the device is eroding the electrodes which contaminates the gas reducing power output. They are currently testing with deuterium, but plan on switching to the hydrogen-boron mixture later this year. Boron is toxic, so they are doing that last. If everything scales the way they think, break even is not far away. If it doesn't scale the way they think, they will know that in a year or two. None of this constant 20 years in the future stuff. There are other fusion devices in development that are also pulsed. Most are vastly cheaper than the Jet project.