---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 17 Oct 1997 00:26:31 -0400 (EDT) From: richard hull To: hvlist@Anchorage.ab.umd.edu Subject: Farnsworth fusor postscript All, I totally neglected the reactions involved if you start fusin' those deuterons. The first reaction is a double one with a 50-50 chance of going either way. two deuterons fuse to give two reactions. 1. One yields up a stable but isotopic form of Helium and a neutron. the total energy release here is 3.27 MEV 2. The other reaction possible yields a tritium nucleion and a proton. The total energy given off here is 4 MEV 3. This second reaction is great because the tritium will fuse to other deuterons in the gas mix at very low energy levels. 4. A third reaction then insues and a normal stable helium nucleus is formed plus yet another neutron. This baby gives up a total of 17.6 MEV!!!!! 5. Finally, if two of the tritium nuclei formed above in step 2. come together and fuse (unlikely, but possible) we now have more stable but isotopic helium and 2 neutrons!!!! Plus, 11.3 MEV of energy. You can see that there is a lot of stuff happening once you fuse just one pair of deuterons. With power continuosly applied, the reaction will grow to some equilibrium point, hopefully, and just stop there based on a number of factors. In a good amateur fusor you might expect 10^3 neutrons/second. Some of the better pro fusors with incredible chambers and vacuum systems get 10^9 neutrons per second! That is very dangerous. Long before you hit that level, you will already have heavy shielding in place to protect your butt from X-Rays!!! Richard Hull, TCBOR