Nuclear Fusion

publiusr said:
Drat…
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Not a big deal, it's not super obvious if you're not nuclear or submarine trained.

Also, the fun part of fusion reactors is that they literally cannot melt down the way fission plants can. "Oh, no! the fuel injection system is running away!" "So vent the reaction chamber to atmosphere, it'll stop the reaction."
 
More on fusion
phys.org

Novel X-ray imaging technique resolves fusion-related nanofoams in 3D

The sun's fusion reactions drive its temperatures to thousands of degrees, and today scientists are seeking to recreate these star-powering processes in the lab as a means of an alternative clean energy.
phys.org phys.org
phys.org

Research confirms importance of symmetry in pre-ignition fusion experiments

Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have retrospectively confirmed that implosion asymmetry was a major aspect of fusion experiments before achieving ignition for the first time at the Lab's National Ignition Facility (NIF), the world's most energetic laser.
phys.org phys.org
phys.org

Heating for fusion: Why toast plasma when you can microwave it

Some believe the future of fusion in the U.S. lies in compact, spherical fusion vessels. A smaller tokamak, it is thought, could offer a more economical fusion option. The trick is squeezing everything into a small space. New research suggests eliminating one major component used to heat the...
phys.org phys.org
phys.org

A new and unique fusion reactor comes together due to global research collaboration

Like atoms coming together to release their power, fusion researchers worldwide are joining forces to solve the world's energy crisis. Harnessing the power of fusing plasma as a reliable energy source for the power grid is no easy task, requiring global contributions.
phys.org phys.org
phys.org

Researchers dig deeper into stability challenges of nuclear fusion—with mayonnaise

Mayonnaise continues to help researchers better understand the physics behind nuclear fusion.
phys.org phys.org
 
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Scott Kenny said:
Not a big deal, it's not super obvious if you're not nuclear or submarine trained.

Also, the fun part of fusion reactors is that they literally cannot melt down the way fission plants can. "Oh, no! the fuel injection system is running away!" "So vent the reaction chamber to atmosphere, it'll stop the reaction."
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Or if you lose magnetic containment it vaporises the sides of the reactor chamber and the contaminants then stop the fusion process.
 
Bad news....
www.theguardian.com

Is the dream of nuclear fusion dead? Why the international experimental reactor is in ‘big trouble’

The 35-nation Iter project has a groundbreaking aim to create clean and limitless energy but it is turning into the ‘most delayed and cost-inflated science project in history’
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

Good news...
www.theguardian.com

Fusion power might be 30 years away but we will reap its benefits well before

Discoveries made in pursuit of nuclear fusion have potentially huge practical applications in everything from curing cancer to superior batteries for EVs
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
Recent finds
phys.org

Quenching the intense heat of a fusion plasma may require a well-placed liquid metal evaporator

Inside the next generation of fusion vessels known as spherical tokamaks, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) envisioned a hot region with flowing liquid metal that is reminiscent of a subterranean cave. Researchers say evaporating liquid...
phys.org phys.org
phys.org

Advanced materials could provide more durable metals for fusion power reactors

For many decades, nuclear fusion power has been viewed as the ultimate energy source. A fusion power plant could generate carbon-free energy at a scale needed to address climate change. And it could be fueled by deuterium recovered from an essentially endless source—seawater.
phys.org phys.org
phys.org

Measuring the gamma-ray-to-neutron branching ratio in the deuterium-tritium reaction

Magnetic confinement fusion devices are technologies that can attain controlled nuclear fusion reactions, using magnetic fields to confine hot plasmas. These devices could contribute to the ongoing transition towards more sustainable energy production methods.
phys.org phys.org
phys.org

Bubbling, frothing and sloshing: Long-hypothesized plasma instabilities finally observed

Whether between galaxies or within doughnut-shaped fusion devices known as tokamaks, the electrically charged fourth state of matter known as plasma regularly encounters powerful magnetic fields, changing shape and sloshing in space. Now, a new measurement technique using protons, subatomic...
phys.org phys.org
 
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Nuclear fusion is fantastic but probably not in my lifetime unfortunately, I'll stick with playing jazz fusion keyboards for now.
 
Fusion news
phys.org

New AI models of plasma heating lead to important corrections in computer code used for fusion research

New artificial intelligence (AI) models for plasma heating can do more than was previously thought possible, not only increasing the prediction speed 10 million times while preserving accuracy, but also correctly predicting plasma heating in cases where the original numerical code failed. The...
phys.org phys.org
phys.org

Neural networks boost fusion research with rapid ion temperature and rotation velocity predictions

In fusion experiments, understanding the behavior of the plasma, especially the ion temperature and rotation velocity, is essential. These two parameters play a critical role in the stability and performance of the plasma, making them vital for advancing fusion technology. However, quickly and...
phys.org phys.org
phys.org

Stopping off-the-wall behavior in fusion reactors

Fusion researchers are increasingly turning to the element tungsten when looking for an ideal material for components that will directly face the plasma inside fusion reactors known as tokamaks and stellarators. But under the intense heat of fusion plasma, tungsten atoms from the wall can...
phys.org phys.org
 
 
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New Galactic Times December-20-2224

Special edition for the Andromeda-9 colony

News from the old Earth.

Eurolab scientists report encouraging progress on their new Tokamak.
 

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Forest Green said:

Which fusion reaction gives the most energy per kg?
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In what form of energy? for example, Deuterium+Tritium spits out 80% of the total energy in neutrons, which you can then use to heat water to generate electricity the way we all know works. Plus you can use (well-known) magneto-hydrodynamic coupling on the fusion plasma to pick up more electricity directly.

Deuterium+Deuterium is 66% neutrons, up to 30% x-rays (and gamma).
Deuterium+Helium-3 is 5% neutrons, up to 20% x-rays, 77% charged particles. (Awesome for spaceship rockets, poor for electrical generation)
Hydrogen+Boron requires 300keV plasma, while D+T fusion works at 25. We don't really have reliable 25keV containment fields yet, let alone something 12x hotter/faster.
Hydrogen+Lithium-6 is 50% x-rays and 50% charged particles that can be used to directly create electricity at ludicrous voltage.

Source: https://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/enginelist3.php#id--Fusion

Note that I'm translating from "good for being used as a rocket" to "good for being used for electrical production"
 
In my opinion, no brute-force solution can compete with the internal dynamics of a star. Why not look for a quantum approach to the problem by trying to reproduce a ball lightning in a laboratory?
 
Scientists claim that China's "Artificial Sun" nuclear reactor has more than doubled its own previous world record, confining extremely high-energy plasma for a whopping 1,066 seconds this week (that's in comparison to its previous record of 403 seconds, set in 2023.)

Using the experimental reactor known as the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), scientists heated plasma to temperatures over 100 million degrees Celsius, and managed to contain the swirling soup of atoms for over 17 minutes.
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futurism.com

China's "Artificial Sun" Just Smashed the Record for Stable Fusion Reaction

Scientists claim that China's "Artificial Sun" nuclear fusion reactor has more than doubled its own previous world record.
futurism.com futurism.com
 
Zoo Tycoon said:
The problem is Fusion produces fast neutron which are difficult to effectively absorb. Here’s an explanation;-


This is also a problem for fission reactors as well which can be solved by running a continuous temperature profile which repeatedly anneals the pressure vessel steel, thus softening back to its design state. The problem with doing this in a fusion reactor is a lot of the highly loads structural parts within the neutron flux are not at the sorts of temperatures that anneal.
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The problem is not really servere for most PWR, only the Sowjet PWR type reactors are prone to embrittlement and the Russians are the only ones who annealed some of their older reactors (they treated also one for Armenia). CANDU reactors are more critical in this respect, that's why they need to be refurbished after about 30 Years. When this refurbishment is done, usually also many other parts like the steam generators, turbines the safety systems are replaced as well to make the reactors fit for another 30 years. Its more a new built reactor than a refurbishment.
 
Nuclear fusion is for me something like a SSTO vehicle, it can do nothing better than existing or near future alternatives (e.g. the Brest OD300, molten salt reactors and many liquid metal cooled fast reactors or thorium reactors in general, all being in the pipeline), is totally unpractical but loved by enthusiasts.

Even if a fusion reactor could deliver a net electrical output (questionable....), I highly doubt it will ever produce a net capital output.
 
Nicknick said:
The problem is not really servere for most PWR, only the Sowjet PWR type reactors are prone to embrittlement and the Russians are the only ones who annealed some of their older reactors (they treated also one for Armenia).
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Ah no, the Russians are not the only who anneal, as both the Magnox and AGR’s also run anneal cycles.
 
Ok, but they are both not PWR.

The Russians dont do it as a cycle, but with a special tool after, lets say after 40 years of operation or so. This can only be done during a mayor overhaul。
 
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"Deuterium+Helium-3 is 5% neutrons, up to..."

Though not as 'aneutronic' as hoped, looks like the 'irradiation' issues are manageable compared to the other serious 'candidates'.

Um, rather than run fusion 'pots' steady-state for other than 'rocketry', wouldn't rapidly pulsed / modulated operation better lend itself to direct power generation ? Rather than entirely steam-raise ??

Disclaimer:
I remember 'figure-eight' configurations etc which were claimed as a 'decade away from controlled fusion'.
Turned out you could even get a whiff of fusion from a 'Science Fair' rig, but anything 'serious' was beyond hard...
:( :(:(:(:(
 
Nik said:
"Deuterium+Helium-3 is 5% neutrons, up to..."

Though not as 'aneutronic' as hoped, looks like the 'irradiation' issues are manageable compared to the other serious 'candidates'.
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And if you run an excess of He3 you get fewer neutrons, down to about 1.4%.

But neutron production is useful for heating water into steam, for some "cogeneration" of waste energy. (MHD as primary energy generation source, steam turbines as secondary)



Nik said:
Um, rather than run fusion 'pots' steady-state for other than 'rocketry', wouldn't rapidly pulsed / modulated operation better lend itself to direct power generation ? Rather than entirely steam-raise ??
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I'm not sure. I know that the power grid does not like pulsed power, so you'd have to run the system at 50/60Hz.




Nik said:
Disclaimer:
I remember 'figure-eight' configurations etc which were claimed as a 'decade away from controlled fusion'.
Turned out you could even get a whiff of fusion from a 'Science Fair' rig, but anything 'serious' was beyond hard...
:( :(:(:(:(
Click to expand...
Yeah, you can make a benchtop Farnsworth Fusor with 1940s/50s technology but it's miles away from break-even.
 

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