Jones, >> am yet to understand electrode polarity in these >> contraptions, is the outer electrode positive or >> negative? > > Either way will work.
Are you sure? A ref to a fusor where the outer electrode is the more negative one would be welcome, I couldn't find any by Googling: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=farnsworth+fusor+positive+negative&btnG=Search I am curious to see how it could work with this polarity, it seems to me that this would accelerate deuterons away from the central active area rather than into it. Or maybe you meant that either electrode can be grounded? (not the same, a grounded electrode can be the more positive one of course) Talking about the several orders of magnitude that separate a Fusor from breakeven, it is my understanding that most of the power losses are due to particle collision with the inner grid. It occurs to me that making that electrode virtual could be useful, how about using a multiply reflected laser beam defining a grid shaped conductive ionized path instead of a metal conductor? Michel
