So much energy in the universe and we can’t harness it!
Ramparts!! :)
The phrase “star in a jar” reminds me of that old cold fusion fiasco back in the day.
I gather this isn’t that.
That’s a torus!
I’m still waiting for my flying car. But a Mr. Fusion would be nice, too.
Small, fourth generation fission plants are more than enough to generate all the power we need for civilian activities. They’re cheap and safe, and we should build them by the thousands.
Fusion, if we can ever do it in a controlled fashion, is too much power for civilian use.
But it’s perfect for weapons.
Inertial electrostatic confinement. The concept was discovered over a century ago.
A fusion reaction in a bell jar. The trick is the energy conversion, and energy gain.
I did some experiments with this process about 20 years ago.
To be commercially viable, the energy gain would have to be at least 20 to 1.
The process would produce fast neutrons, a lot of x-rays, and a helium daughter product.
The key will be direct conversion of reaction to electric potential.
Think of a diode vacuum tube with a nuclear powered cathode, with a fusion powered supply of electrons.
The islam-a-Nazis are thinking about how to put a RPG or a TOW into one of those.
The good news is the Star in the Jar is just 20 years away. /s
Not a ‘star in a jar’.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/181261697
Oops!
https://player.vimeo.com/video/174733566
In the meantime we have the long developed technology for building thorium reactors relatively cheaply and small enough for one to be installed in the basement to power an apartment building. The Chinese are building thorium reactors. we are kowtowing to the degrowthers.