Breakthrough in nuclear fusion energy announced

[Chippy_Tea]

They are describing this on the radio as potentially free energy, i guess a bit of a rush of blood but the fact they produced more than the amount put in is brilliant.

But one of the challenges is that forcing and keeping the elements together in fusion requires very large amounts of temperature and pressure. Until now, no experiment has managed to produce more energy than the amount put in to make it work.

A major breakthrough has been announced by US scientists in the race to recreate nuclear fusion.
Physicists have pursued the technology for decades as it promises a potential source of near-limitless clean energy.
On Tuesday researchers confirmed they have overcome a major barrier - producing more energy from a fusion experiment than was put in.
But experts say there is still some way to go before fusion powers homes.
The experiment took place at the National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California.
Nuclear fusion is described as the "holy grail" of energy production.
It works by taking pairs of light atoms and forcing them together - this "fusion" releases a lot of energy.
It is the opposite of nuclear fission, where heavy atoms are split apart. Fission is the technology currently used in nuclear power stations, but the process also produces a lot of waste that continues to give out radiation for a long time. It can be dangerous and must be stored safely.
Nuclear fusion produces far more energy, and only small amounts of short-lived radioactive waste. And importantly, the process produces no greenhouse gas emissions and therefore does not contribute to climate change.
But one of the challenges is that forcing and keeping the elements together in fusion requires very large amounts of temperature and pressure. Until now, no experiment has managed to produce more energy than the amount put in to make it work.
The National Ignition Facility in California is a $3.5bn (£2.85bn) experiment.
It puts a tiny amount of hydrogen into a capsule the size of a peppercorn.
Then a powerful 192-beam laser is used to heat and compress the hydrogen fuel.
The laser is so strong it can heat the capsule to 100 million degrees Celsius - hotter than the centre of the Sun, and compress it to more than 100 billion times that of Earth's atmosphere.
Under these forces the capsule begins to implode on itself, forcing the hydrogen atoms to fuse and release energy.

Dr Melanie Windridge, CEO of Fusion Energy Insights, told the BBC: "Fusion has been exciting scientists since they first figured out what was causing the Sun to shine. These results today really put us on the path to the commercialization of the technology."
Prof Jeremy P. Chittenden, professor of plasma physics and co-director of the Centre for Inertial Fusion Studies at Imperial College London called it "a true breakthrough moment" which proves 'the 'holy grail' of fusion, can indeed be achieved".
This has been the sentiment echoed by physicists globally, who praised the work of the international science community.
Prof Gianluca Gregori, Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford said: "Today's success rests upon the work done by many scientists in the US, UK and around the world. With ignition now achieved, not only fusion energy is unlocked, but also a door is opening to new science."
Despite the leap forward, Prof Chittenden told the BBC there is still a lot further to go until nuclear fusion could be used to power homes.
The experiment was only able to produce enough energy to boil about 10-15 kettles and required billions of dollars of investment. Mr Chittenden said: "If we want to get a power station [up and running], it may be that we have to perform these experiments once every second. And currently it's a day in between experiments".
And although the experiment got more energy out then the laser put in, this did not include the energy needed to make the lasers work - which was far greater that the amount of energy the hydrogen produced.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-63950962

 

[Jim Brewster]

although the experiment got more energy out then the laser put in, this did not include the energy needed to make the lasers work - which was far greater that the amount of energy the hydrogen produced.

I don't understand the details obviously, but once you've got the reaction going I suppose the heat takes care of itself after a certain scale, a bit like the glow plugs in a diesel engine perhaps

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I don't understand the details obviously,

That's two of us, i assume as they are excited about getting more energy out the they put in it means in total.

Until now, no experiment has managed to produce more energy than the amount put in to make it work.

 

[Agentgonzo]

I don't understand the details obviously, but once you've got the reaction going I suppose the heat takes care of itself after a certain scale, a bit like the glow plugs in a diesel engine perhaps

In theory yes. In practice it's very hard. Because if the fuel touches anything (like the sides of the rector chamber) it cools the fuel too much, and also melts a bit of the surface of the reaction chamber. So you need to keep the fuel away from touching  anything (usually in a vacuum by magnetic containment). Then you need to keep the fuel together.

In stars this is done by not having anything around it (space) and gravity keeps the fuel "in the same place"

 

[dad_of_jon]

Governments are getting it to the stage where businesses can make money out of it so at least whilst it's clean they'll use the argument that it's complex and expensive so don't expect cheaper energy. got to keep the serfs in line

 

[Clint]

The laser used to generate the initial energy is three football fields in size and generates 5 trillion Watts...enough to power the entire national grid...of the USA! But its only fired for a nano second!

 

[Rodcx500z]

The only thing i understand is, it,s American and will not be cheap just like black gold

 

[An Ankoù]

Ignition, now that they've achieved it, is one thing. Containment is quite another.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Ignition, now that they've achieved it, is one thing. Containment is quite another.

you mean like sampling your latest brew

 

[scomet]

My first question was how much was the excess energy over the input? Thanks to the World Service (BBC) and a spokesperson from LLNL that figure was quoted at 50%!!! I thought he was going to say 0.1%. I know who is getting the next Nobel Science Gong; Star Trek here we come..

 

[Cheyne_brewer]

My first question was how much was the excess energy over the input? Thanks to the World Service (BBC) and a spokesperson from LLNL that figure was quoted at 50%!!! I thought he was going to say 0.1%. I know who is getting the next Nobel Science Gong; Star Trek here we come..

It took 322 mega joules to power the lasers that delivered 2 mega joules to the target and get 3.15 mega joules output - that’s 1% of total input.

They are a very long way from free energy. What’s needed now is a self-sustaining fully contained fusion reaction - still the stuff of dreams, but it’s a start.

 

[klaus]

We used to say "not in our life time" - but who knows. If it's got military application then it might be here faster than expected ....

Only thing I fear is that with the never-ending search for high technology solutions to current environmental and economical issues the search for more down to earth solutions which can/should be implemented now or in the near future (<5 years) are put on the back burner or even mothballed, funding limited or withdrawn, etc.

 

[MrRook]

I won't be holding my breath waiting.

 

[dad_of_jon]

maybe using giant solar mirrors to capture energy in space and beam it down to earth is a better bet, unless there's too much space junk to get in the way?

 

[Bernie]

That's two of us, i assume as they are excited about getting more energy out the they put in it means in total.

If it's the same experiment that they performing at Laurence Livermore some 35 years ago it consist of filling tiny glass bubbles with hydrogen and deuterium and blasting it with a pulsed laser to create a large pressure and temperature, momentarily. So, the fuel runs out quickly.

 

[Agentgonzo]

maybe using giant solar mirrors to capture energy in space and beam it down to earth is a better bet, unless there's too much space junk to get in the way?

I saw this. It seems far easier to build giant land-based mirrors to capture energy, then pipe it directly into the grid.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I saw this. It seems far easier to build giant land-based mirrors to capture energy, then pipe it directly into the grid.

Agreed for sunnier places. Here in sunny swansea there's often cloud. I think the space solution used technology that would not be as affected by cloud cover.

 

[Brewnaldo]

I saw this. It seems far easier to build giant land-based mirrors to capture energy, then pipe it directly into the grid.

They do this in Nevada or Arizona or somewhere like that. The heat is so severe that birds flying over the facility quite literally explode.

 

[scomet]

It took 322 mega joules to power the lasers that delivered 2 mega joules to the target and get 3.15 mega joules output - that’s 1% of total input.

This was a 'proof of concept experiment' and the net gain of energy was x1.5 thus proving that controlled fusion is a reality, yes it has a long way to go, no it won't be in a Tesla next year BUT IT HAS BEEN DONE!