Nuclear Fusion

What is nuclear fusion?

Nuclear power that involves the joining of the nuclei of small atoms such as the isotopes of hydrogen

Hydrogen-2

Deuterium

Hydrogen-3

Tritium

Where do you source deuterium (hydrogen-2)?

Extracted from water

Where do you source tritium (hydrogen-3)?

Produced by the neutron bombardment of lithium

Is commercial fusion possible on Earth?

No

What conditions are needed for fusion to occur on Earth?

- Hydrogen in the form of plasma

- Heavy nuclei

- Very high temps

- Vacuum

- Magnetic field

Toroidal Reactors

A doughnut-shaped device used to contain hot plasma

Magnetic fields are used to keep the plasma stable and away from the reactor walls (prevents it from touching the walls and cooling down)

Example of Toroidal Reactors

ITER

Built after JET (Join European Torus - near Oxford) and will expand off the knowledge from JET.

Plan for ITER

- Was planned to be operational in 2025

- May release more energy than it uses (500MW output from a 50MW input)

- Maintain fusion for longer periods

- Use a blanket of lithium around the reactor to breed new tritium fuel

Laser Fusion

A developmental nuclear fusion technique that uses a laser beam to cause fusion in beads of frozen hydrogen

How do you initiate laser fusion?

Small spheres of frozen deuterium and tritium would be dropped into an intense laser beam