Yesterday I made a new fusor grid:
With an 45mm OD, this grid is smaller (and prettier) than the previous at 65mm. The old and the new grid side by side:
Second Attempt
25 10 2009Made a second fusion attempt today with a deuterium plasma. Using the new power supply and the mass flow controller together produced very stable plasmas. I tried a variety of voltages, currents, and pressures but no bubbles.
I have two hypotheses:
a) we are producing fusion, but the detector is not showing it.
b) we are not producing fusion because of grid misalignment.
While double checking the bubble detector, I noticed a relevant detail: the bubble detector must operate within 20˚ C to 40˚C. Today the room temperature was 16˚C. The detector has a built in liquid crystal thermometer. Black means the detector is out of range. To correct this, I put the detector in my pocket for 20 minutes. This warmed the detector to 34˚C :
I want to get a geiger counter as a double check for the bubble detector. The geiger counter would respond to x-rays produced during fusion.
But really I think the problem is that our inner and outer grids are completely misaligned. From what I’ve read grid alignment is necessary for “star mode”. And it seems this is necessary for fusion.
It should be pretty easy to fabricate a new/better pair of grids.
Although we didn’t get fusion today, it was a success in other ways. The system is working smoothly. We have stable plasmas with voltages as high as -17kV. The mass flow controller minimized the deuterium use.
The mass flow controller also lets me adjust the gas flow at a safe distance, which is a welcome upgrade.
Here is a video of the deuterium plasma:
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Categories : Deuterium, Fusor, Neutron Detection
-30kV / 10mA
24 10 2009If you’ve been following me on twitter, you know I received a -30kV / 10mA Glassman a few days ago. Now it’s online and it kicks ass. Current limiting, remote controllable… it’s the second unit from the top:
Here is an air plasma it produced:
With current limiting and good air metering, we can get a stable plasma. I notice you get a sense for the plasma just by _listening_ to the glassman. When the plasma is unstable the glassman softly clicks along with the plasma burst.
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Categories : Fusor, High Voltage, Plasma
Mass Flow Controller Online
21 10 2009
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Categories : Deuterium, Electronics, Mass Flow Controller
Cleanup
19 10 2009With the large chamber gone, I’m able to setup properly:
As the project gets complex, I must keep the lab organized.
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Categories : Uncategorized
Superconducting Magnet
15 10 2009Gearing up for a second superconducting magnet test. This time computer controlled. Here is the new bobbin with 133 turns:
Comments : 4 Comments »
Categories : coils, heater barrel, Magnets, superconductors
RGA
14 10 2009Took another crack at the RGA. Got a lot further this time.
Previously we used the sensor in the flange it shipped in, but this flange did not hold a vacuum. I removed the sensor:
And reinstalled it like this:
More after the jump.
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Categories : Residual Gas Analyzer, Vacuum
Phreaknic 13
14 10 2009I’m speaking at Phreaknic 13!
October 30-31, 2009 in Nashville TN.
Talking about amateur nuclear fusion and prometheus fusion perfection.
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Categories : Community, Hacker
Deuterium Plasma
13 10 2009Spent this evening attempting fusion with the Fusor. No bubbles in the detector, but I got these photos of the deuterium plasma:
As you can see it’s a more of a blue color than the air plasma.
The pump is running fantastically… whisper quiet.
I tried for several hours. The main variable is gas flow rate. The more gas, the more current and a brighter plasma.
I may need a higher voltage power supply.
Judging from the reduced PSI of the deuterium bottle, I put a dent in the supply tonight.
All in all it was a good day. Nothing broke. We tool a step forward. I plan to regroup and spend some time working with the air plasma.
Comments : 3 Comments »
Categories : Deuterium, Fusor
Prometheus Fusion Perfection 