Evaluation of Electrostatic Confinement Fusion as an Energy Source
Department
Physics
Major
Physics
Research Advisor
Story, J. Greg
Advisor's Department
Physics
Funding Source
Department of Physics
Abstract
Fusion is highly sought after for its ability to efficiently provide abundant energy with minimal waste. There are currently multiple competing designs, the most successful of which have operated by the confinement of high energy plasma via electro-magnetic means. In this project an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) fusion device was constructed to gauge its potential to achieve a net positive energy yield. The characteristics of the plasma were measured prior to an investigation of the fusion properties via Langmuir Probe and spectroscopic techniques. Data on neutron emissivity for several operation regimes of the IEC device were examined including; variations of the acceleration grid, reversed polarity (false anode), and resonant wave modes.
Biography
Brock Ebert is currently an undergraduate Physics Student at Missouri's University of Science and Technology. When he was sixteen, he left his high school to attend the Missouri Academy of Science, Mathematics, and Computing; during said program he attended college courses on the campus of Northwest Missouri State University, and he received an Associate's Degree in Science while simultaneously graduating high school. From there Brock began pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Physics; after which he plans to go on to receive his Ph.D. in the same subject.
Research Category
Sciences
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Location
Upper Atrium/Hall
Presentation Date
16 Apr 2014, 9:00 am - 11:45 am
Evaluation of Electrostatic Confinement Fusion as an Energy Source
Upper Atrium/Hall
Fusion is highly sought after for its ability to efficiently provide abundant energy with minimal waste. There are currently multiple competing designs, the most successful of which have operated by the confinement of high energy plasma via electro-magnetic means. In this project an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) fusion device was constructed to gauge its potential to achieve a net positive energy yield. The characteristics of the plasma were measured prior to an investigation of the fusion properties via Langmuir Probe and spectroscopic techniques. Data on neutron emissivity for several operation regimes of the IEC device were examined including; variations of the acceleration grid, reversed polarity (false anode), and resonant wave modes.
Comments
Joint project with Sheldon Harper, Jaykob Maser