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Team Confirms UCLA Tabletop Fusion
An anonymous reader writes "A team of New York physicists has confirmed that a tabletop contraption made at UCLA does in fact generate nuclear fusion at room temperatures, using pairs of crystals and a small tank of deuterium. But unlike less reliable reports back in the 1980s, there's no talk this time of producing endless supplies of power. Rather, the technology could lead to ultra-portable x-ray machines and even a wearable device that could provide safe, continuous cancer treatment."
From TFA: I'm surprised that the article didn't go into more depth on the explosives detection angle, as a neutron generator is an excellent method for detecting fissionable material, and I'm sure the folks over at Homeland Security would like a better way to guard against nuclear devices being smuggled into our country.
For more info on neutron generators and their possible application in fissionable materials detection, please look here (PDF warning).
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~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey
Crystals and holy water?
"Our device uses two crystals instead of one, which doubles the acceleration potential," says Jeffrey Geuther
Yeah well, now I'm going to use three!
"application may come in the form of a battery-operated, portable neutron generator"
Wait, what? We finally got cold fusion, but 'batteries not included'?
Unpleasantries.
Also overlooked is the forthcoming businesses selling crystal pendants and key chains which "fight" cancer and provide other beneficial effects.
I will now take bids on licensing my screenname.
Its amazingly clear that not only have few of you RTFA, most have not even gotten past the title before you threw out a post.
Its a whole 4 sentences which make it clear that this is NOT a power source, and half the posts are talking about its potential as a power source.
Now if I could just find a way to bottle the power of human stupidity...
So I'm assuming that there is no way even in principle this technology could be scaled to yield more power than it uses.
From the sound of what's going on, I think that's correct. The thing about a confined fusion generator is that it works through having the plasma at enormous temperatures. At these high temperatures the particles are slamming into each other at high speed, occasionally so hard they fuse together. This fusion itself produces more heat, so there's a feedback loop that's sustaining the reaction. This device sounds like it works through just accelerating particles with an electric field to high speeds, and then smashes the particles into one another. I don't see any potential for feedback here, so a sustained reaction seems unlikely.
AccountKiller
But can it crank out 1.21 gigawatts?
Government's view of the economy: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving,regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it.
The paper.
IANAP (I am not a physicist), but I do know that nuclear fusion doesn't create fallout like nuclear fission does.
Fallout is caused by one of two events:
1. Excess nuclear materials not consumed in the reaction are left behind.
2. The neutron radiation from the event interacted with nearby materials (such as the dirt on the ground) to create new radioactive materials.
Nuclear fusion is "clean" in that there are no radioactive materials left over from the reaction. However, it does produce an incredibly strong neutron flux which can easily create radioactive fallout in nearby materials.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fallout
Given how destructive neutron radiation is, I'm somewhat surprised that they'd be talking about strapping a reasonably strong source to someone's person.
Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
The difficulty with small scale fusion isn't making it happen. That's been done many, many times. The difficulty with small scale fusion (and all fusion) is making it produce power (more power extracted from the reaction than put into the reaction).
That's where Pons and Fleishman got hosed. They claimed a 300% power surplus without experimental verification. This announcement is different from that for several reasons.
1) These guys are specifically not claiming excess power.
2) They're claiming to have lots of high-energy neutrons.
3) This is actually the announcement of a second group of scientists repeating the experiment and successfully verifying the results of the first group.
In short, this announcement is nothing like the cold fusion debacle of the late '80s.
Regards,
Ross
And what are neutrons? Oh yeah, just one of the most penetrating and dangerous forms of radiation. Why else do you think that when they had to find a form of radiation that could kill tank crews inside their vehicles, the viable choice was the neutron bomb?
Pure fusion bombs create huge numbers of neutrons. If the explosion is near the ground, these neutrons can activate the debris that gets sucked into the mushroom cloud and create plenty of fallout. (Not to mention, most bombs use a natural uranium case to get a cheap energy boost when it's fissioned by the extra fusion neutrons. Most of total the energy output is often still fission.)
And any amount of emissions that's intense enough to kill cancer tumors isn't exactly "small".
Also: Nowhere in the article does it mention anything about breaking apart massive atoms and leaving behind radioactive isotopes that are chemically reactive in the human body; Which, I assume, is what you're so worried about.
Instead, you add neutrons to the the elements already inside your body, thereby turning them into dangerous radioactive isotopes where they sit.
Bottle the power of human stupidity? Sorry, you are too late. Look no further than the Vatican, Al Qaeda, or any other religions institution. Superstition, fear of death, and the promise of eternal life are all their tools, and with proper respect of their un-verifiable claims (faith), lack of reason, and willingness to submit you too can be their servant.
~Religion is O.K., as long as it gets you laid.
I think the point was that you don't even need to get to the inspections point...just blow it up while it's still on the ship. Accuracate placement is not a high priority with fission bombs.
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I was a plasma physicist, and did some research on topics related to fusion before quiting to become a programmer.
Basically, you're right. The nice things about fusion (or some of them at least) are that there's no scope for a Chernobyl-style meltdown and the reaction products and reactants are safe.
The problem, as you say, is that it's an excellent source of neutrons. The generator and its housing have to be designed to absorb as much of that neutron flux as possible. This inevitably produces radioactive isotopes in these materials, which will eventually break down to the point that they must be replaced.
The nuclear waste associated with a fusion power plant isn't as bad as that for a fission one, but it still exists and still needs to be dealt with.
It's official. Most of you are morons.