[Wonder Warthog]

"I still have not grasped how the power is to be reliably harnessed though."

If the polywell runs one of the neutronic fusion cycles (D-T, D-D), it will extract energy just like the ITER (i.e neutrons lose energy in a moderator---like water--heat up the water, make steam, and drive a generator). This is limited by the Carnot cycle, but no worse than a fission reactor or other fossil fueled power plant. The large number of neutrons tends to "make things radioactive", so there will be some radwaste associated with the process.

If they succeed in running one of the higher energy aneutronic fusion cycles (PB11), then they can design the electrostatic confining fields to "leak" ions at a specific point and do magnetohydrodynamic conversion by "slowing down" the high energy particles, which can be up to 80% efficient.

[Cobra Scott]

If they succeed in running one of the higher energy aneutronic fusion cycles (PB11), then they can design the electrostatic confining fields to "leak" ions at a specific point and do magnetohydrodynamic conversion by "slowing down" the high energy particles, which can be up to 80% efficient. Thanks, I wondered how you eventually turned it into shaft work, I didn't realize they could funnel the neutrons. Then you have a standard moderator-to-heat solution. You are saying the neutrons can be funneled, right? Or am I missing something? I looked up MHD from your post, and now I think I understand the debate over whether it is Maxwellian and for how long. Thanks for that! Incidentally I did read some speculation on trapping alpha in the chamber and using it as an additional source of current, like a giant pacemaker battery I guess. Just speculation I know.