First Flight of the Levitated Dipole Experiment

This shows a typical levitation sequence and the first plasma of the fully levitated 1/2 ton superconducting dipole. The device is designed to study the physics of plasmas confined by a levitated dipole... similar to planetary magnetosphere with a hole bored through the planet...

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• plasma
• physics
• magnetospheres
• levitation
• superconductors

[dgarnier]

Short answer... we are nowhere near a fusion power source. This is a physics experiment to better our understanding of plasma physics and perhaps to justify a bigger experiment that would try to get near to an energy source.

But, put me down for the skycycle too...

[jamesharrisonburg]

Why does it spin ?

[dgarnier]

It spins because of a small misalignment of the magnetic and gravitational axes of the floating coil. This means there is a preferred (lowest energy) rotational position for it to be at. Because it isn't launched at this position, it rotates to that position. But, because there is no friction, it oscillates back and forth about the preferred rotation. The oscillation has a period of 6.5 minutes. Up to 10 oscillations have been seen with no noticeable damping.

[10mintwo]

zomg! how many tesla? what is your ion temp? is this DD yet or just H? when are you going DT?

[dgarnier]

The coil has a peak field of about 3.5 Tesla in the plasma in the "hole of the donut". We currently do not heat the ions... so they are very cold... about 1eV most likely, but we don't measure them. This is a deuterium plasma (with some impurities, like H, He, O, C, N, etc.) We won't be doing DT in this machine. It was not designed to handle DT neutrons... and we won't likely be seeing many DD fusions either. This experiment is a physics experiment studying the confinement of the dipole.

[ir0nmaiden13]

lol how little you know. Quantum Physics is the future imbecile.  Grow the fuck up.

[TarzanandRambo]

@MasterBowyer if qauntum physics is only a theory then i guess all modern electronics and internet and utube are magical dumbass

[jocell202]

@MasterBowyer you mean the thing that is propelling some space crafts we have in space now?

[Xenthoid]

@MasterBowyer what a dunce...

[TheUFOeffect]

@DrVitos; I'm guessing magnetic fields.

[DrVitos]

Great job! But i don't understand how are you keeping low temperature of the dipole

[Curas1]

No I agree with him, there is something about Quantum Physics and string theory that is so damn flawed and seemingly dead ended.

I almost suspect that Even Einstein missed the boat somehow in that there is a unified 'ether' out there somewhere .

Of course next thing I will be talking about Dr Townsend brown, the Philadelphia experiment and Tesla's radiant energy LOL!

Ironic that back to the futures flux capacitor, star treks transstater all sound like Heisenberg compensator for T.O.E.

[mitsukai89]

@pauljs75

yeah i have always known the tokamak's arent going anywhere, to much waste of energy and materials. ICF has a better chance of reaching fusion, because lasers are very controllable. but it will just be a matter of time of we know if it reaches positive net.

[pauljs75]

I'm only an armchair scientist, but I always had an idea bouncing around that the plasma flow in the Tokamak was wrong. If this one is doing it the way I suspect, it's making the plasma flow similar to a ring vortex in a fluid. If there were a way to remove any obstructions from the hole in the middle, my guess is you could create a pinch point at the center with a strong enough field. If the plasma density manages to be high enough, that's where the fusion should start up. Cross the streams!