First hints of commerical FUSION power?

[Jon P. Inghram]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3239806.stm

[GNEP]

Sustainable fusion power is at least 20 years away. And it has been for the last 50 years, and will be for the next 50 years .

IIRC, this "20 years" is one of the fundamental constants of fusion research.

[Chrono_Wanderer]

I didn't know there are actual fusion reactors :?

[The PIT]

Dunno I do a bit of good fusion the morning after the night before. Just need more beer to keep it going.

[Technoid]

Originally posted by GNEP
Sustainable fusion power is at least 20 years away. And it has been for the last 50 years, and will be for the next 50 years .

IIRC, this "20 years" is one of the fundamental constants of fusion research.

Could it posible be becuse they are not really getting some few important things?

Like the fact that they always have to feed twice or trice the amount of energy INTO any of the simulations of any erg of energy they get out?

the Farnsworth type of reactor have a chance, the "official" magnetic container versions are a waste of energy

[Jon P. Inghram]

The article claims:

Scientists say the new reactor will be the first such prototype to give out a lot more power than it consumes.

[DukeP]

Sooner or later we will make a viable fusion reactor. We now it works (look towards the sun) - the rest is just a matter of engineering.

~~DukeP~~

[Drizzt]

Originally posted by DukeP
Sooner or later we will make a viable fusion reactor. We now it works (look towards the sun) - the rest is just a matter of engineering.

Yeah, yeah, obviously. After all, we all even know that universe works. The rest is just a matter of being a god...

[Technoid]

Originally posted by Jon P. Inghram
The article claims:

If they are using the ole Magnetic confinement system and has solved all the problems so qudos to them

Anyway, I'll believe it when I see it

[Jon P. Inghram]

Originally posted by Technoid

Anyway, I'll believe it when I see it

What kind of an attitude is that?!?

I'd be REALLY impressed by a "Mr. Fusion" home fusion device that somehow manages to avoid the inconvience of those pesky neutrons leaking out and giving everyone near it the magic "invisible tan," or perhaps just soaking into the shielding to the point that it needs to be replaced before it becomes fissionable itself.

[Dr Mordrid]

IMO magnetic confinement isn't going to be practical because of its power requirements. In contrast Filo T. Farnsworth's FUSOR design, which dates back to the 50's and 60's, was able to get neutron production using 115vac wall current. IF the $$ put into magnetic confinement had been put into it....

Dr. Mordrid

[Brian Ellis]

Originally posted by GNEP
Sustainable fusion power is at least 20 years away. And it has been for the last 50 years, and will be for the next 50 years .

IIRC, this "20 years" is one of the fundamental constants of fusion research.

Absolutely. At one time I had a neighbour working in the Plasma lab of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (now a prof. at some Uni in Oz, still researching fusion). I visited his lab many times. About 1964, he said that they were just on the point of having a plasma pinch reacting and he gave me the 20 year figure, then. That was 40 years ago.

Anyway, I'll believe it when I see it

Again, absolutely, but I'll be long dead by then, anyway. And that goes for ALL the proposed methods.

[rylan]

Well they've got to get cranking on it, because our global supply of fossile fuel is going to be depleted within the next century.
Somehow however I'd trust the Japanese more in building it than the French :P

[Jon P. Inghram]

"This electricity smells bad!"

[Wombat]

Originally posted by rylan
[B]Well they've got to get cranking on it, because our global supply of fossile fuel is going to be depleted within the next century.

Oh, I highly doubt that. First off, we've been finding more all the time. Second, we're inventing more efficient engines. Third, we'll probably GM some food plant to make it if petroleum get's <I>that</I> low. And don't forget: The machine that turns anything into fuel.