Power Conversion

How each machine turns fusion output into electricity — thermal for the breeder, direct for the burner.

Breeder

Thermal cycle

Burner

Direct, 0.70

The breeder recovers its energy as heat through a blanket and a thermal cycle. The burner, running low-neutron D–³He, recovers charged-particle energy directly at about 0.70 efficiency — skipping the steam cycle's losses entirely.

The choice of conversion follows the fuel: direct conversion only pays off when most of the energy is in charged particles.