The 2006 Z machine experiments, a mostly overlooked major science hit, and the potential link to LENR

Quote from Zephir_AWT

Which is because the output laser array energy (which is an impressive piece of technology by itself) can not be increased too much anymore. So that everyone could assume, that the whole increase of fusion yield was done without contribution of lasers. But the energy which one can put into magnetic pulse and pinch can be increased nearly arbitrarily and it can easily exceed the amount of energy delivered by lasers by order of magnitude. This is because the laser array has rather low net energy efficiency, whereas the powering of solenoid required just a capacitor bank, the size of which can be increased arbitrarily. And one megajoule shot from capacitor bank is nothing spectacular here, for instance the Z-machine delivers 20 MJ into shots regularly.

(1) What evidence do you have that laser array output energy over the 10ps or so time needed cannot be increased?

(2) Regardless - ICF now has COP=2.5. better than current DPF approaches, so given there is significant fusion the question is how to optimise it, and make the laser drive more efficient, not higher energy.

(3) DPFs are interesting, but have been in dev for a long time (see my post on other thread). Very large Z pinches still deliver low fusion energy - but have very high input energy. The issue is can you get fusion energy out larger than energy in, and is this practical? It looks tough with DPFs - see the LPP struggles.

(4) Laser tech has developed a lot from when NIF was built and 20% efficiency high PRR is now possible (as opposed to 1% NIF 1/day PRR).

Basically, the issue is not "how to get more energy in" but "how to get more energy coupled into compressing a useful plasma". Useful is a combination or temperature, density, and stability. All these parameters are completely different for ICF and DPF fusion so you need to look at how far are result from what can be useful - not "which has highest energy input". You can consider scaling but DPFs have scaling problems relating to whether you can keep the plasma symmetric as it is compressed and with electrode erosion issues that lead to anisotropy.

Looking at pulsed laser nuclear fusion - Nuclear Engineering International

https://lppfusion.com/storage/2022/04/LPPFusion-Report-Oct.15-2021.pdf

THH

Quote from Zephir_AWT

there is strong political pressure to keep the investments into USD 5 billion NIF facility running

The standard model physicists are bunch of mentally sick people that poorly understand real physics and thus never can admit any error.

The ignition lab never was meant to deliver fusion. It was a model for the explosive unfolding of the "hydrogen" = Lithium bomb.

So selling outdated crap for actual science is a sign that most involved people enjoy the well paid live of secrete research and in case of a stop would face the cruel face of reality....

Quote from Zephir_AWT

laser array energy (which is an impressive piece of technology by itself) can not be increased too much anymore

This is wrong. With a chirped pulsed laser you can increase the power by a factor of 10⁶ at least. But this would serve for nothing as hot fusion is a sign of mental disturbance. As said the only hot fusion that work is 6-Li +D = Hydrogen bomb. But here no hydrogen fusion happens.

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This is wrong. With a chirped pulsed laser you can increase the power by a factor of 10⁶ at least

Yes, but you would have rebuild and redesign the whole NIF facility. I'm talking about laser power in context of existing one, where it already did hit its technological limits.

Quote from Zephir_AWT

Yes, but you would have rebuild and redesign the whole NIF facility. I'm talking about laser power in context of existing one, where it already did hit its technological limits.

Right - but what matters is the future of ICF. NIF jutst happened to have bigger lasers than anywhere else that could also be used to investigate fusion. Based on these results (and the slightly silly PR got from teh Q> 1 thing) we will get better equipment to move forward.

Don't forget geology, it will help us