Re: RE: RE: ICAN (Was RE: starship-design: What is safest?)

[Kelly St <KellySt@aol.com>]

In a message dated 1/13/98 1:15:53 PM, lparker@cacaphony.net wrote:

>> Given that the fusion reactions weve been talking about release all their
>> energy into the kinetic energy of their exaust particals.  I'm not clear
>>where the extra energy to drive the magnetic acceleration (via the 
>> nozzel) would come from?
>
>It can be bled off through an MHD field or through intercooling the
>shielding to drive turbogenerators. Whichever provides the most energy with
>the least maintenance.
>
No you missed the point.  By bleeding off exaust stream into a MHD converter
you convert some/all te kinetic energy of that part of the exuast streem into
electricity.  You then use that electricity to add kinetic energyu to part/all
of the exaust stream.  Effectivly your not adding any kinetic energy to the
exaust streem, your just shuffling it around.  How does that add effective
thrust per pound of  fusion fuel?


>
>Lee

Kelly