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New 'Stellarator' Design for Fusion Reactors

Posted by Zonk on from the less-whoosh-boom-for-your-money dept.

eldavojohn writes "The holy grail of fusion reactors has always seemed 'just a few years off' for many decades. But a recent design enhancement termed a 'Stellarator' may change all that. The point at which a fusion reactor crashes is when particles begin escaping due to disruptions in the plasma. A NYU team has discovered that coiling specific wires to form a magnetic field may contain the plasma. This may be a a viable way to create a plasma body with axial symmetry, and a far better chance of remaining stable. Like other forms of containment this does require energy itself, but could bring us closer to a stable fusion reactor. It may not be cold fusion or 'table top' fusion but it certainly is a step forward. The paper is up for peer review in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."

8 of 171 comments (clear)

  1. If they used... by jd · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...Axl symmetry, they could produce something that was violently unstable but produced vast amounts of marketable energy and money.

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    1. Re:If they used... by heinousjay · · Score: 3, Funny

      I hope you're serious, I take great solace in knowing the world is full of crazy people.

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  2. Huh... by Greyfox · · Score: 2, Funny
    SCO Loses and they figure out fusion* on the same day. Coincidence? I think NOT!

    * Sure it doesn't say they figured it out in TFA but humanity will point to this day and say 'That is the day SCO lost and they figured out fusion.'

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    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  3. Oh, great! by Sloppy · · Score: 4, Funny

    I just bought a fusion reactor that uses the old design!

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  4. Re:input-output by feepness · · Score: 4, Funny

    Picture Chinese handcuffs Great now I can't let go of that image.
  5. Re:Why reinvent the wheel? by Wonko+the+Sane · · Score: 3, Funny

    3. Make the wall 1 ton/m^2 to protect the people outside

    Houston, we have a unit problem
  6. Re:Why reinvent the wheel? by Jherek+Carnelian · · Score: 1, Funny

    This seems like the exact reason why basic physics should be mandatory in schools. Dear God. How exactly would a magnetic field contain neutral photons ? They will generate zero flux and will not interact with the field at all. Clearly adding a flux capacitor to the magnetic field generator is necessary to add flux to the contained photons.
  7. "Stellarator" by flickwipe · · Score: 2, Funny

    Refrigerator full of Stella?