-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] > Exactly which extravagant claims in the paper/patent are you attacking? ... If this is some well-funded boondoggle that should be de-funded, please explain.
Yes, Lou - let me reiterate the stance that the Hot Fusion program, in general, is an extremely well-funded boondoggle which should be defunded immediately. Excuse me for hijacking a thread intended to show that a modest advance in that larger program had transpired - but IMO this story is merely a ploy to promote renewed funding for a dead-end technology. There is no real breakthrough - just more of the same. Do you have any understanding of the amount of resources which have been wasted on Hot Fusion since the 1950's? Best guess - worldwide is that one quarter of a trillion dollars, $250 billion (in 2012 dollars) has been spent on Hot fusion, internationally - with almost nothing to show for it. Enough is enough. Defund it now! The patent and paper do have a few applications (Space propulsion) which are not related to prime terrestrial energy production. But lasers are extremely unlikely to be helpful towards solving the energy crisis. The authors disguise the real facts and real science in favor of PR. Again this is hype. There is NO breakthrough - simply more of the same. For my part, this was the latest installment in a long running rant, and has less to do with the most recent chapter and more to do with the larger program. However, it behooves all LENR advocates to point out the falsity and hyperbole of the Hot Fusion PR, whenever it recurs (which is too often). So called "aneutronic fusion," as mentioned, is no more than a publicity ploy. There is no advantage to using boron, in practice. Lasers are not a solution to the fusion problem, but add to it. Plus, it is my belief that the cadre of hot fusion proponents are basically dishonest in promoting this latest "breakthrough" in asserting that "less than 1% of the energy comes from neutrons". The real data apparently shows otherwise - more like 5% but they insist on showing only "projections" and ignoring spallation. To repeat, neutrons in boron plasmas come from both the carbon pathway and the hot alpha plus the big unknown factor: 11B + p → 11C + n 11B + alpha → 14N + n (the alpha comes from a previous p+B). Laser spallation can be severe in terms of unwanted neutrons. The double pulse probably makes it worse, not better - but there has been selective release of data. We will never know unless we question this kind of PR whenever it is issued and encourage our law makers to do the same. Even if the rate of neutron emission could be reduced to the 1% level in practice (instead of relying on self-serving projections) - the laser fusion reactor STILL becomes completely irradiated in a short time (weeks to months) and the process in not noticeably safer or cleaner, and is far more costly than other approaches ... plus it requires the same amount of shielding. The shielding problem is proportionately more problematic for numerous small tabletop reactors - compared to one large one. This laser double-pulse project is dead in the water - except for Space propulsion; but that is my opinion - and this is a good place to air it... and yes, it does imply that there are better ways to spend the next quarter trillion. Jones
