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Nuclear Fusion1

This document discusses nuclear fusion as a potential source of energy. Nuclear fusion is the process of joining atomic nuclei to release energy. It occurs at extremely high temperatures over 100 million degrees Kelvin. Current research aims to control high temperature plasma and sustain fusion reactions. Major challenges include heating plasma to fusion temperatures and confining it. If successful, fusion could provide abundant and environmentally friendly energy without greenhouse gas emissions or long-lived radioactive waste. The ITER experimental reactor project aims to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power.

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Rajesh Meppayil
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175 views

Nuclear Fusion1

This document discusses nuclear fusion as a potential source of energy. Nuclear fusion is the process of joining atomic nuclei to release energy. It occurs at extremely high temperatures over 100 million degrees Kelvin. Current research aims to control high temperature plasma and sustain fusion reactions. Major challenges include heating plasma to fusion temperatures and confining it. If successful, fusion could provide abundant and environmentally friendly energy without greenhouse gas emissions or long-lived radioactive waste. The ITER experimental reactor project aims to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power.

Uploaded by

Rajesh Meppayil
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Nuclear Fusion

Energy
Rishi Gohil

ChE 379: Energy Technology and Policy


Dr. Thomas Edgar
Fall 2007
Nuclear Fusion Principle
• Energy generated by joining two elements with
low atomic numbers.
• Most efficient reaction known is fusion of
Hydrogen isotopes, Deuterium and Tritium, to
form Helium.
• Fusion is source of energy for stars and the Sun.
• High temperatures > 100 million degrees Kelvin
needed for fusion on earth
• At high temperature, the gas mixture forms a
plasma (hot, electrically charged gas)
Nuclear Fusion
• This reaction releases 17.6 MeV of
energy. No limit on amount of fusion that
can occur (unlike fission).
Requirements for Fusion Reaction
• Plasma Temperature:100-200 million Kelvin
– Needed to overcome natural positive repulsive forces
of plasma ions
• Energy Confinement Time: 4-6 seconds
– The Energy Confinement Time is a measure of how
long the energy in the plasma is retained before being
lost.
• Central Density in Plasma:1-2 x 1020 particles m-3
– Large density needed because number of fusion
reactions per unit volume is roughly proportional to the
square of the density
Plasma Toroid (Tokamak)
Flow of Energy
Challenges
• Current research in controlling high
temperature plasma
– How to heat plasma to >100 million deg C.
– How to confine such a plasma
– How to sustain the reactions.
Advantages
• Abundant fuels: Deuterium (from water),
Tritium (from Lithium) and Lithium
(plentiful on Earth’s crust).
• Inherently safe: Because conditions for
reaction are stringent and small amounts
of fuel used
• Environmentally safe: No greenhouse gas
emissions and byproduct of reaction is
Helium.
JET (Joint European Torus)
• JET: World’s largest nuclear fusion
research facility
Fusion Reactor
• EU to build pilot fusion reactor, Iter.
– Cost: 4.57 Billion EURO (2000 prices) over 10 yrs
– Life: 35 years
– Countries Involved: 7
– Design: reactions occur in 100 million degree gas (plasma)
suspended in donut shaped magnetic field.
– Problems: Sustained and stable reactions
– Potential: 500 MW output from 70 MW power input during
pulses of at least 400 secs.
– If technology works commercial reactor, Demo, will be built.
– Advantages: No greenhouse emissions, inherently safe due to
malfunction shutdown systems, no high-level long-lived
radioactive waste produced.
Iter Timeline
References
• "Nuclear Fusion 'Put to the Test'" BBC NEWS 17 Feb. 2005. 19 Nov. 2007
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/science/nature/4270297.stm>.

• “Fusion Power." United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. 20 Nov. 2007.


<http://www.fusion.org.uk/>.

• "JET." EFDA. 20 Nov. 2007. <http://www.jet.efda.org/index.html>.  

• “Nuclear Fusion” howstuffworks.19 Nov 2007. Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.


<http://science.howstuffworks.com/fusion-reactor3.htm>

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