Amazed and Impressed with Teenager's Creation

[Tommy T.]

I just read about this kid who created a fusion reactor "In his Classroom!!!"

https://www.bing.com/search?q=teenager+fusion+reactor&form=STARH1&refig=5251686d7c52499cb1cca9c67ef39e15&mkt=en-us&ocid=hpmsn&pq=teenager+fusion&pqlth=15&assgl=23&sgcn=teenager+fusion+reactor&qs=UT&smvpcn=0&swbcn=1&sc=1-15&sp=1&ghc=0&cvid=5251686d7c52499cb1cca9c67ef39e15&clckatsg=1&hsmssg=0

>Just imagine what this kid might be able to create when he is past being a teenager!

Cesare Mencarini, a 17-year-old Italian student at Cardiff Sixth Form College, has become the first person to create a working fusion reactor in a school setting, Interesting Engineering reported.

Mencarini spent 18 months constructing the reactor as part of his A-levels (advanced coursework in U.K. schools). He achieved plasma in June and later showcased the project at the Cambridge Science Festival, IE revealed. Mencarini received an A* in his A-level results.

When Mencarini first presented the idea to create a fusion reactor, there was resistance. 

"The college was initially concerned that this project, which I have also used for my EPQ, was dangerous," Mencarini told The Mirror, per IE. "However, we did full risk assessments, and the staff have been so supportive."

The fusion reaction mimics the one that occurs inside the sun. However, since Mencarini's device can't achieve the sun's level of pressure, it needed to get much hotter. Mencarini used a high voltage of electricity to reach the right conditions for fusion — a process that, in theory, could provide abundant clean energy for the world if realized at scale. 

Experts have called for a transition away from dirty fuels such as gas, oil, and coal because they are the primary cause of the dangerous rise of global temperatures linked to more intense and frequent extreme weather and food insecurity, among other things. 

In an exclusive interview with the Galactic Explorer, Mencarini spoke about his motivations. 

"I thought that, as a student, I could be an inspiration for other people, especially for the young generation because we need to push them forward, to reach new boundaries," he said. "It was also a way to convince people of my generation, my peers, to take on difficult projects, outside of their comfort zones."

Julian Davies, principal of Mencarini's college, said, "We want to give our students the opportunity to work on projects that interest them as well as teaching them how to pass exams and to be brave in enabling them to take risks and develop projects that are applicable to real life situations," per the Daily Mail.<

Edited November 13 by Tommy T.

[Lee]

6 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

Experts have called for a transition away from dirty fuels such as gas, oil, and coal because they are the primary cause of the dangerous rise of global temperatures linked to more intense and frequent extreme weather and food insecurity, among other things. 

Experts might try living in caves for awhile as our early ancestors did so as to fully understand what life would be like without "dirty fuels". LOL.

[Mike J]

10 hours ago, Lee said:

Experts might try living in caves for awhile as our early ancestors did so as to fully understand what life would be like without "dirty fuels". LOL.

At least these folks are calling for a "transition" to cleaner forms of energy, an idea that most everyone agrees with.  Wind, solar, fusion (if they ever get there), geothermal, hydro, etc.  Not like the nutters that want to ban oil and coal right now.  I do not think the high school student achieved fusion.  What he apparently did was reach some extremely high temperatures.

[GeoffH]

It definitely looks like a tokamak to me, it could well generate high temperature plasma if designed and built properly.

One would need to check for neutron generation (and exclude plasma stream instability neutron generation) in order to determine if actual fusion events were happening.

And even if they were that doesn't make the reaction self sustaining or able to generate more power than it consumes.

IMO calling it a Fusion reactor is a stretch, a reactor implies a self sustaining reaction.

Universities have built similar (and larger) devices before but this is impressive for a college science project.

 

 

 

Edited November 14 by GeoffH

[earthdome]

40 minutes ago, GeoffH said:

It definitely looks like a tokamak to me, it could well generate high temperature plasma if designed and built properly.

One would need to check for neutron generation (and exclude plasma stream instability neutron generation) in order to determine if actual fusion events were happening.

And even if they were that doesn't make the reaction self sustaining or able to generate more power than it consumes.

IMO calling it a Fusion reactor is a stretch, a reactor implies a self sustaining reaction.

Universities have built similar (and larger) devices before but this is impressive for a college science project.

 

 

 

Its all about the flux capacitor.

[Mike J]

14 hours ago, earthdome said:

Its all about the flux capacitor.

[JJReyes]

Any thoughts on how local authorities would react if a student proposed a similar project in the Philippines?

[Snowy79]

14 hours ago, JJReyes said:

Any thoughts on how local authorities would react if a student proposed a similar project in the Philippines?

They'd know it's out of stock so wouldn't worry.