http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2014/10/15/lockheed-martin-claims-fusion-breakthrough-that-could-change-world-forever/
Maybe. :coolsmiley:
Surely nothing bad will come from a fusion reactor small enough to carried by a truck in a trailer! :uglystupid2:
Not to sound like a Negative Nellie, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Not that I don't think we'll see fusion power eventually, because I do. However, I've read/heard of so many fusion projects in the last 15-20 years, that I'm naturally skeptical at this point.
Quote from: Martok on October 20, 2014, 07:43:27 AM
Not to sound like a Negative Nellie, but I'll believe it when it.
Not that I don't think we'll see fusion power eventually, because I do. However, I've read/heard of so many fusion projects in the last 15-20 years, that I'm naturally skeptical at this point.
+1. We've heard this story before. :P
QuoteTom McGuire, who heads the project, told Reuters that his team had been working on fusion energy at Lockheed's Skunk Works program for the past four years,...
So... in 4 years they have solved what hasn't been in the last 50...... :coolsmiley:
Containing all the heat/energy is not the only problem. It's getting the fusion reaction to start in the first place without using more energy than you will get out of it.
I'll believe it when the first Trailer Fusion Reactor is driven off the lot.
Also, containing and directing it, if using magnetics. Sounds like no problem, until one realizes how much energy the magnetics must be burning (so to speak) to make that happen.
I realize there's probably an electromagnetic form of judo redirection, but in an energy vs. energy containment battle one generally needs more-than-X energy to contain X-energy.
The Lou Ferrigno Hulk could judo a truck, in other words, but a regular person couldn't.
we should have Bart, our lead scientist at Grogheads Applied Sciences Division, look at this.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages2.wikia.nocookie.net%2F__cb20091211232719%2Fmuppet%2Fimages%2Fd%2Fd3%2FVMX-Beaker%26amp%3BBunsen.jpg&hash=7272a1eb4b213563c8aa25233aeab9cf64fb9e69)
MikeGer is the scientist... I'm just the engineer who gets to build this stuff.... O0
I'm going to hold out for process that can be reliably replicated by actual scientists
Quote from: Barthheart on October 20, 2014, 08:54:41 AM
MikeGer is the scientist... I'm just the engineer who gets to build this stuff.... O0
German scientists are soooo 1946. ;)
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on October 20, 2014, 10:50:18 AM
German scientists are soooo 1946. ;)
Plus they're all busy trying to harness the power of the Tesseract.
I'm a natural skeptic, dating back to my high school days amid reports of a working laser pistol powered by D-Cells that a Princeton scientist had developed. But the fact this is Lockheed Martin and they went public....it gives me a little hope at least. I wanna believe.
I agree with Steelie. If this is true, then its incredible. Plus I can't imagine an organisation such as LM making that statement without something tangible to back it up.
Quote from: bob48 on October 20, 2014, 12:48:39 PM
I agree with Steelie. If this is true, then its incredible. Plus I can't imagine an organisation such as LM making that statement without something tangible to back it up.
That's where I'm at.
It's not like Star claiming he had a three way with Gus and Green Lantern. Lockheed is a legit corporation.
Quote from: LongBlade on October 20, 2014, 12:50:54 PM
Quote from: bob48 on October 20, 2014, 12:48:39 PM
I agree with Steelie. If this is true, then its incredible. Plus I can't imagine an organisation such as LM making that statement without something tangible to back it up.
That's where I'm at.
It's not like Star claiming he had a three way with Gus and Green Lantern. Lockheed is a legit corporation.
Hmmm, stock prices soar, then Lockheed fires a "leaker".
Can't imagine that would do much for their reputation, or inspire any long-term confidence in them.
Quote from: Barthheart on October 20, 2014, 08:54:41 AM
MikeGer is the scientist... I'm just the engineer who gets to build this stuff.... O0
And I'm the tech/tradesman who gets to tweak it/clean up the messes it makes until it runs like it was supposed to.
Cheap, clean, renewable energy that has no cancer-causing footprint like fission does and can be deployed in a small space?
Huge boon for mankind.
I look forward to the various energy monolithic companies, not to mention the oil-producing states, viewing this in less than a positive light.
This announcement coincides with the release of Sid Meier's Beyond Earth this week. Can't be a coincidence, right? Sci/fi geeks everywhere rejoice!
Next step....MARS!
Quote from: Centurion40 on October 20, 2014, 02:03:10 PM
Quote from: LongBlade on October 20, 2014, 12:50:54 PM
Quote from: bob48 on October 20, 2014, 12:48:39 PM
I agree with Steelie. If this is true, then its incredible. Plus I can't imagine an organisation such as LM making that statement without something tangible to back it up.
That's where I'm at.
It's not like Star claiming he had a three way with Gus and Green Lantern. Lockheed is a legit corporation.
Hmmm, stock prices soar, then Lockheed fires a "leaker".
Looks questionable to me.
So up side is that its not radioactive.
Down side is the process creates a mill degree heat. That would be bad if it goes wrong.
Wonder what type of collateral damage we are talking about here.
Quote from: jejo68 on October 21, 2014, 01:04:08 AMWonder what type of collateral damage we are talking about here.
Burned cookies
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_VBQwaqvch9M%2FSzBzIquRKuI%2FAAAAAAAAAUY%2F9AHF94tVBJ8%2Fs400%2Fburned.jpg&hash=9c02300f1e2bf0dc2c63969f0d52ea9639dfb7aa)
People-shaped ones?
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on October 20, 2014, 02:18:15 PM
Cheap, clean, renewable energy that has no cancer-causing footprint like fission does and can be deployed in a small space?
Huge booM for mankind.
For very large values of "cheap". O0
Quote from: bayonetbrant on October 21, 2014, 05:15:42 AM
Quote from: jejo68 on October 21, 2014, 01:04:08 AMWonder what type of collateral damage we are talking about here.
Burned cookies
According to Christopher Nolan, Batman survived it no problem. As did Kick-Ass -- and the helicopter crew ferrying him off a half-mile away.
Quote from: Staggerwing on October 21, 2014, 05:28:20 AM
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_VBQwaqvch9M%2FSzBzIquRKuI%2FAAAAAAAAAUY%2F9AHF94tVBJ8%2Fs400%2Fburned.jpg&hash=9c02300f1e2bf0dc2c63969f0d52ea9639dfb7aa)
People-shaped ones?
Oh the humanity!
Fusion reactors do produce some radioactive waste due to a secondary process. The reaction will be contained in a magnetic bottle and a surrounding containment building. The fusion reaction produces heat, light and radiation (primarily protons and/or neutrons). The radiation will interact with the containment material forming new isotopes of the containment material, some of which will be radioactive. Overall, the amount of radioactive waste produced in a fusion reactor is very much less than in a fission reactor.