jessica, fission girl (@rooster@tech.lgbt)
tech.lgbt
A quick #science 🧵 ahead of the #fusion announcement tomorrow. In fusion, there is something called the fusion energy gain factor, the Q factor. Most fusion experiments measure Q as power out over power in. That is, a Q of 1 is break even; you've got the same power out that you put in. A conservative estimate for a viable self-sustaining fusion power source is Q > 20, given that it needs to power itself, and provide an excess of power to the grid after efficiency losses from conversion.

[…] This is important, because they kind of fudge the numbers a bit. NIF measures power in as the laser power into the fusion reaction chamber, not what they SUPPLY to the laser. If they claim a Q of 1 based on their measure; it would actually be a Q of 0.01 by the standard calculation, because they’re ignoring the inefficiencies of the lasers.

Not only that, but we’d still be a factor of 20 from viable power. This is just something to keep in mind.

  • ganymede@lemmy.ml
    3·
    3 years ago

    yeah anyone familiar with popular science reporting should already expect the actual findings to be more along the lines of an important milestone, rather than a complete solution.

    highly doubt the actual scientists are pretending otherwise. the media just can’t help themselves.

    but i think the findings are probably still very exciting if true