Yes. It is a fascinating device, and definitely under-appreciated except
by the cult-like following, which I mentioned (Hull's forum), but there
is little evidence of any conspiracy to silence the technology.
Richard Hull, who runs the Fusor Forum, and is the leading expert on the
Farnsworth Fusor - has a slightly different opinion on the "suppression"
issue (that is was market-driven, and mostly due to the ITT merger, and
the inherent danger of tritium - NOT any kind of mysterious conspiracy)
... and yes, there probably was one or more "runaway" reactions at ITT
BUT... that was using tritium !
With tritium, many things are possible, including instant death due to
radiation poisoning...
... anyway, isn't G.Vassilatos a SciFi writer ?
Not that there's anything wrong with that... except unconventional
usage, like what is "15.5 G-neutrons/sec" ? Is it 15.5 giga-neutrons/sec
- or 1.55 x10^10 or what? ... if so, then this is still FAR away from
breakeven, no? This is half-hamster energy output! You really need 100
times more flux before things get interesting. But you also need to
avoid the runaway (if living is important), and you need to do it with
ONLY deuterium!
The runaway was using tritium, big difference, which is not even
possible today, outside of very tightly contolled situations.
Jones
Jed Rothwell wrote:
Jones Beene wrote:
The problem there is that the neutron count is pitiful - ... say it is
in the 10,000 per second range or double that, which may sound decent
at first, after all it is *real fusion* (hot fusion) - but on closer
look it is way to low to be interesting for real world energy use, and
cannot be scaled up easily. It is far away from breakeven.
G.Vassilatos wrote a fascinating paper about Farnsworth, "THE FARNSWORTH
FUSOR: THE MOST NOTABLY FORGOTTEN EPISODE IN "HOT" FUSION HISTORY." He
claimed that the fusor self-sustained on at least one occasion, and that
the technology was suppressed. Quoting the paper:
"On October 5, 1965 the Fusor Mark II-Model 6 was tested. A
reconfigured, high-precision ion gun arrangement produced 1 G-neutrons
cc/sec at 20 Kv. and 1 mA....a record achievement. On December 28, 1965
tritium was admitted into the test chamber...producing 2.6
G-neutrons/sec. at 105 Kv. and 45 mA. . . .
The Mark III Fusor produced startling high records in quick succession.
By the end of 1965 the team was routinely measuring 15.5 G-neutrons/sec.
at 150 Kv and 70 mA.. The final problem to be tackled involved the
poissor itself. . . .
SUSTAINED FUSION REACTION
Dr. Farnsworth reported that his team achieved a self-sustaining
reaction on several occasions...and could repeat the effect. He once
invited his wife to watch a test-run of this feat. As power was applied
to the Fusor the neutron-reading meter achieved a steady threshold and
there remained...until a slight increment of power was applied. Then the
needle went off the scale. Dr.Farnsworth cut the applied power...but the
needle remained in place for thirty seconds or more as the reaction
continued.
ITT gradually absorbed the entire project. All related patents were
assigned to ITT as success was achieved in steady steps. . . .While
steady progress was being achieved at a modest cost . . . ITT was being
influenced by powerful professionally hired "opinion makers" to drop
fusion research. Suddenly even Wall Street analysts were publishing
their "concerns" for ITT and its absorption of the Farnsworth
subsidiary. Farnsworth himself was made the focus of every corporate
death-word. These outlandish accusations indelibly remain in newspapers
from the time period.
The suppression and assassination of technology is historically the
response of frightened competitors...
Piercing voices appeared from everywhere against Farnsworth. A large
reception at the Waldorf was astir with executive unrest concerning the
Farnsworth research project. While dressing, Farnsworth suffered a mild
stroke. The AEC was mounting the nuclear fission race and the
"anti-fusion" race simultaneously...and using every tactic to achieve
total dominance of the energy field. He was relieved of his research
project. . . ."
I do not know if this was ever published, where Vassilatos is today.
- Jed