About Fusion
The promise of Fusion
No other energy source holds the promise of fusion. Virtually limitless fuel source, economical, environmentally friendly, scalable and with the possibility of replacing the vulnerable power grid with distributed production... fusion power has the capacity to supplant all existing energy production processes. Small scale reactors have the potential to replace existing fossil fuel sources at the consumer level and upsetting the balance of economic power created by an oil-dependent economy. Fusion promises to change the world.
The problem of Fusion
Generating energy from fusion reactions is not a theoretical concept. The science behind the reactions that power our sun was proven in the 1950s with the capability to produce enormous amounts of energy with little effort. The problem was, and still is, effectively harnessing the massive amounts of energy produced. To do this commercially, the fusion reactor must have three defining characteristics: containability, reproducibility, and scalability. Containment of the reaction, at temperatures higher than the surface of the sun, has in itself proven to be extremely difficult. Reproducing the fusion reaction, and the engineering required to scale the reactor are further obstacles. Scientists have been struggling with these problems for over 70 years.
The paths to Fusion
Two paths to commercial fusion have seen the bulk of the research activities; magnetic confinement of the fusion fuel, and inertial confinement whereby a small pellet of fuel is bombarded by high-powered lasers. Both methods are extremely expensive and complex and neither has yet achieved a net-positive energy gain. Additionally, these techniques are difficult to scale as designs favor large-scale facilities, such as ITER project in France or NIF in the USA. Virtually all research has focused on Deuterium-Tritium fusion which produces energic neutrons as the power source. Conversion of this energy to electrical power requires many secondary systems such as heat exchangers and turbine generators. While potentially a replacement for existing commercial power plants these designs are not capable of being scaled down to achieve the bigger promise of distributed small scale power generation.
The pinch approach to Fusion
Scientists initially considered a third path to achieving fusion, a Pinch confinement reactor. In this technique, fusion products are produced as serially induced “sparks” which confine themselves as plasmoid balls, thus eliminating the requirement for external confinement schemes. Pinch reactors require lower reactor temperatures as the likelihood of collision and subsequent fusion is increased at higher plasma densities. Studies have also shown that dense-plasma Pinch reactors are immensely scalable and that the energy generated is directly proportional to the size of the reactor. However Pinch induced fusion is not without challenges; the largest of which, recovering energy losses due to X-ray radiation losses, has stymied attempts to achieve net energy gain.
The proposal for MC2 Fusion
MC2 will transform the promise of fusion power to reality. Our dense-plasma Pinch reactor will overcome radiation losses with a patentable X-Ray deflector which redirects the Bremsstrahlung energy back into the fusion plasma. Our design utilizes proton-Boron fusion products which produce energy as charged particles rather than energetic neutrons. Not only does this significantly reduce the structural, health, and environmental impacts of the reaction, it allows for a patentable process for direct energy conversion of the charged particles to electrical power; eliminating the secondary system required by all other fusion approaches. MC2 Pinch reactors will have greater efficiency, be far less complex, and be infinitely more scalable than all other paths to commercial fusion power. MC2 reactors will power cities, industrial complexes, neighborhoods, homes, commercial transportation, and the vehicle you used to get to work today. MC2 fusion reactors will change the world.