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**Gibbie** · **Gibbie** ^D ^D ^D whoa User ID: 49076 05-20-2012 04:34 PM **Posts: 7,187**

If this really worked then why are they messing with Tokamaks which are pretty much one of the biggest scientific budget boondoggles ever?

**The Evil AC** I am not a number!!! User ID: 666 05-20-2012 04:39 PM

Its not the first time they had an idea like this

http://www.poormojo.org/pmjadaily/archives/011602.php

chuckle

**Ðґℙ☺ṧ⊥мαη**

Gibbie Wrote:

If this really worked then why are they messing with Tokamaks which are pretty much one of the biggest scientific budget boondoggles ever?

"It's a tremendous amount of energy in a tiny period of time, just a hundred billionths of a second."
Not what they are looking for in a nuclear reactor that will provide continuous
energy for the grid. That's why the fusion reactor research is both different
from this and important.

**Ðґℙ☺ṧ⊥мαη**

The Evil AC Wrote:

Its not the first time they had an idea like this

http://www.poormojo.org/pmjadaily/archives/011602.php

Yea, but that was a fission reaction, not a fusion reaction.

**Gibbie** · **Gibbie** ^D ^D ^D whoa User ID: 49076 05-20-2012 04:46 PM **Posts: 7,187**

DrPostman Wrote:

Gibbie Wrote:
If this really worked then why are they messing with Tokamaks which are pretty much one of the biggest scientific budget boondoggles ever?
"It's a tremendous amount of energy in a tiny period of time, just a hundred billionths of a second."
Not what they are looking for in a nuclear reactor that will provide continuous
energy for the grid. That's why the fusion reactor research is both different
from this and important.

z-pinch has been seriously considered as a prime mover for grid applications. If it could really have a COP beyond 6 (which is needed for anything real) this should shut down tokamak research which hasn't produced a single megawatt hour of economicly viable energy in over 50 years of research.

**The Evil AC** I am not a number!!! User ID: 666 05-20-2012 04:47 PM

DrPostman Wrote:

The Evil AC Wrote:
Its not the first time they had an idea like this

http://www.poormojo.org/pmjadaily/archives/011602.php

Yea, but that was a fission reaction, not a fusion reaction.

You do need fission to get it going but with fusion you could move city sized ships.

S1008

**Gibbie** · **Gibbie** ^D ^D ^D whoa User ID: 49076 05-20-2012 04:58 PM **Posts: 7,187**

I'll believe it when they show a picture of an engine on a test stand.. At least with VASMIR they built the thing.

This sounds a lot like wishful thinking.

**Michael Alan Keith**

Z-Pinch fusion rockets are just one step away from pure fusion nuclear weapons.

Who will stop them from making war of annihilation when nukes become dial-a-kiloton simple with no fallout?

**Gibbie** · **Gibbie** ^D ^D ^D whoa User ID: 49076 05-20-2012 05:30 PM **Posts: 7,187**

Buster Wrote:

Z-Pinch fusion rockets are just one step away from pure fusion nuclear weapons.

Who will stop them from making war of annihilation when nukes become dial-a-kiloton simple with no fallout?

The one at Sandia is huge.. doubt it would make an effective weapon.

**Ðґℙ☺ṧ⊥мαη**

Gibbie Wrote:

z-pinch has been seriously considered as a prime mover for grid applications. If it could really have a COP beyond 6 (which is needed for anything real) this should shut down tokamak research which hasn't produced a single megawatt hour of economicly viable energy in over 50 years of research.

Do you know why it never got beyond being considered? I'm familiar with
the tokamak research and how long it's gone on but not at all with z-pinch.

**Gibbie** · **Gibbie** ^D ^D ^D whoa User ID: 49076 05-20-2012 08:14 PM **Posts: 7,187**

DrPostman Wrote:

Gibbie Wrote:
z-pinch has been seriously considered as a prime mover for grid applications. If it could really have a COP beyond 6 (which is needed for anything real) this should shut down tokamak research which hasn't produced a single megawatt hour of economicly viable energy in over 50 years of research.
Do you know why it never got beyond being considered? I'm familiar with
the tokamak research and how long it's gone on but not at all with z-pinch.

I don't really know for sure but the biggest lab doing z-pinch research was Sandia and they are more interested in weapons stockpile testing than energy research (weapons is their mandate). I have not been following the z-pinch story for a long time maybe they did achieve a breakthrough. It could be that z-pinch is ready to be an energy source for the planet but there is no grant money for it because it got all eaten up by ITER. It takes more than just working first apparatus to make energy work.. takes a lot of engineering to make it practical.

If you find anything out more about z-pinch I would love to see it. I've been interested in everything fusion related for many years.