Originally Posted by
Mesabah
Yeah, I have been following very closely, and posted about it a week or so ago. Question is how does it scale, the largest plane may only be 737/320 in size.
I don't know if that's the question. The tech uses a magnetic heat containment field to center the concentration of the arc heaters plasma. That's how it's supposed to be able to be made smaller. To equalize the magnetic field for a long time requires perfect magnetic flow. Short term, that is achievable now, but long term? Electricity requires an anode and a cathode. By definition one is an electron donor... IOWs it rots, the other is an electron recipient... IOWs it clogs. Also, has anyone met the perfect machine? To maintain the centralized magnetic field (heat containment) you can't have a broken wire or a shifted magnet.
Exciting tech yes. 20 years worldwide deployable? IDK. On airplanes, you'd better not prang one in.