IS NUCLEAR FUSION THE STAR OF CLEAN & LIMITLESS ENERGY?

Article Written By: Ratna Emani

Energy has been running this planet for many years. From the time when our ancestors, Homo habilis have figured out how to start a fire, we have been burning fuels to run our daily lives. Looking at the world as it is today and realizing that one day fossil fuels will come to an end, we are trying to look for better and more permanent solutions. Many solutions were formed to find limitless energy, however the two major problems were, either they were inefficient or they required a specific environment to function. For example, one of the most commonly mentioned renewable energy is solar energy; however the problem with solar power is that it is very inefficient as the electricity produced from it is very little. Another wellknown renewable resource is hydroelectric energy. This is currently, the most efficient renewable energy, however, not all places can afford, a dam or a natural cataracts. Then in 1929, when scientist were studying the atomic structure of an Atom and trying to unravel the origins of the sun, two scientists named Atkinson and Houtermans discovered nuclear fusion based on the idea of mass and energy equivalence made by Einstein with the equation, (fusion-eur 2007). Nuclear fusion is a method of fusing atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus, when this event takes place tremendous amounts of energy is released. The binding energy curve was then made to explain when nuclear fusion is possible. The curve suggests that Iron-56 has the most stable nuclei, and anything heaver cannot fuse and therefore narrows fusion to lighter nuclei. Exactly after a decade, Rutherford suggested a method of fusing atoms to generate energy. In 1932 Rutherford, Walton and Cockroft detected the capture of a proton by an atom of Lithium 7, via the subsequent production of two a engages in the fusing of two Hydrogen particles. However, the fusion was used to power the bomb, but the destructive nature of the bomb is derived from the uranium fission. During this time two Soviet physicists named Andrei Sakharov and Igor Tamm engineered what we today call, Tokamak (Princeton University 2005). The Tokamak was a Fusion Test Reactor, and from 1982 to 1997 it was used by the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) (Princeton University 2005). The idea to use nuclear fusion as an energy source spread like a wild fire because, it could be the cleaner, safer and most powerful energy source. Some of the most commonly known fusion reactions involve Hydrogen isotopes called deuterium and tritium. The stars use a reaction called the Proton-proton chain, where protons combine to make deuterium atom, which then chains to make helim-3 atoms. These atoms fuse together to make berylilim-6, which then decays to form helium-3. This reaction produces a lot of energy, and powers our sun (Freudenrich 2005). The other reactions include Deuteriumdeuterium reaction, which can be possible in the future and can produce lot cleaner and efficient energy. The nuclear fusion being used right now is Deuterium-Tritium reaction, which produces radioactive waste and isnt as efficient. Ideally speaking, to harness such energy is simple; however, to do this in a safe way, is what kept nuclear fusion energy to remain theoretical. The conditions to harness such power required two main circumstances. High temperature and high pressure; the temperature required to allow Hydrogen particles to collide without repulsion is 100 million Kelvin, which is equivalent to the temperature of six suns cores. The temperature keeps the Hydrogen in a plasma state rather than a gaseous state, allowing the

The left side of the binding energy curve are able to fuse. (Clyde 1996)

particles and the released of energy. (fusioneur 2007). Then the next major development in nuclear fusion came in after WW2 by the United States and the USSR, for the Atomic Weapons Research. The edifice behind the Hydrogen Bomb was nuclear fusion. The bomb

This is the Fusion reaction that is currently being used. (Freudenrich 2005)

atoms to move easily. Pressure allows the Hydrogen atoms to be extremely compressed -15 to fuse. They must be within 1x10 meters of each other to fuse. (Freudenrich 2005). Using

powerful ion beams, lasers and strong magnetic fields these conditions can be achieved to create a Deuterium-Tritium reaction. The two methods to attain the pressure and temperature to fuse Hydrogen atoms is magnetic and inertial confinement. (Kulesza 1998). When speaking of magnetic confinement, the Tokomak reactor comes into action. These reactors are shaped like a Donut, where the Hydrogen gas is heated up into plasma using electricity and microwaves. Then the magnetic field induced by the confinement puts the pressure on the plasma allowing fusion to occur. The inertial confinement process is a lot different from the magnetic. In the inertial confinement 192 laser beams, are focused onto a small deuterium-tritium pellet. The energy produced from the lasers will generate

the heat and radiation to convert the pellet into plasma and compress it, to allow fusion to occur (Science and Engineering Encyclopedia). Both confinements use the same method of transferring energy to electricity. The heat will be transferred by water-cooling loop to change water to steam which will spin a set of

National Ignition Facility (NIF) in Lawrence Livermore Laboratory in United States. The ITER magnetic confinement plans on offering clean, safe and unlimited fuel. The project holds to be the biggest step towards clean and powerful energy. The estimated cost to achieve such feats involves 13 billion Euros (ITER 2012). A global collaboration has taken place to make this energy generation possible. The ITER example uses about 70 megawatts of power but yields about 500 megawatts of electricity. Currently at www.iter.org/mach of ITER project, you can find a scroll over diagram explaining the details of the machine. The NIF have taken a different perspective on the production of nuclear fusion energy. They believe that using a shortliving fusion reaction; can produce up to 50 to 100 times the ignition power. Scientists estimate that each target can be made for as little as $0.25, making the fusion power plant cost efficient. (Freudenrich 2005). Researchers have been debating over which method of fusion is more efficient and better. For example, some suggest the cost efficiency guaranteed by the inertial confinement is unparalleled. However others suggest that the faster progress of magnetic confinement promises results faster (Clery 2012). Nevertheless both methods seem to have an equal hand at meeting success.

Therefore nothing can be said, expect that they both point in the direction of perfection. The bigger question now at hand is; Why should people invest in such technology? We already possess cheap fuel system, and it will be a while before we lose all of it, so what is the rush? First of all, the burning of fossil fuels release a lot of carbon dioxide and toxic gases into the atmosphere called the Greenhouse Gases. All these gases trap the heat from the sun increasing the global temperature of our planet, causing Global Warming. If that is not enough, from the rapid consumption of fossil fuels for cars, heating, manufacturing and everyday life, we will soon run out, causing a great plummet in our economy. Therefore we must start looking for alternative stable renewable energy sources, such as nuclear fusion. The fusion technology promises great benefits such as abundant supply of fuel. The resources needed for nuclear fusion are found in seawater and our Earths crust. The radiation emitted from the reactors is much weaker than what we find in our environment, promising safety. Also unlike, nuclear fission the waste production is much less allowing an easier disposal. Finally, this method of energy production is much cleaner releasing no air pollution. Although, this renewable energy seems tailored more for the future, we must work our way towards it for a brighter tomorrow.

This is the schematic of how a nuclear fusion reactor would transfer its generated heat into electricity. This method is the same in both reactors. (Freudenrich 2005)

turbines to generate electricity, then the water will be cooled and reused. Currently the two major advancements being made in the nuclear fusion field is by the ITER project currently being built in Cadarache, Southern France and by The
This is the Tokomak Fusion Reactor being built in France by ITER (Torgerson 2009)