Quote:
Originally Posted by Desert Mariner
This brings up a question on project fusion plants. Per TM1-1, they go up to at least 1000kW @ 1kg per kW but there's no mention of volume.
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Yeah, this is a frustrating thing, but there is no easy answer. The 1kg/kW is true on the low end. The 1MW (1000 kW) reactor, if we assume the weight range corresponds with the power output listed in the description, weights 5000kg or 5kg/kW. So the more power it generates, the heavier it is per kW. Maybe the higher reaction rates require greater shielding for the flux of fast neutrons. This is the primary reason in my game, the portable reactors run on He3 and not H2 (D). He3-He3 fusion produces zero neutrons and therefore require minimal shielding. I assume there are D-D reactors in the Project, but they have a tech to strip out the He3 before it fuses to produce fuel for the portables.
But TM1-1 mentions heavy water as fuel for a portable reactor, so they are D-D or D-T reactors which are not aneutronic reactions.