China and US Working Toward Fusion

[Sayonara]

Plasma reaching millions of degrees within the MAST experimental reactor.

 

China and the US are to co-operate in one of the most important research endeavours of our time - the search for a viable fusion process.

 

Although extremely difficult and expensive to develop, this technology will harness the same processes carried out in stars to provide extremely cheap and clean energy.

 

The fuels used are virtually inexhaustible. Deuterium and tritium are both isotopes of hydrogen. Deuterium is extracted from water and tritium is manufactured from a light metal, lithium, which is found all over the world.

One kilogram would produce the same amount of energy as 10,000,000 kg of fossil fuel.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2798197.stm

 

 

[blike]

The article says its going to take 10 years to build! Supposedly its the final step between current test reactors and the first commercial fusion reactor.

 

"The goal of Iter is to produce 500 megawatts of fusion power for 500 seconds or longer during each individual fusion experiment and in doing so demonstrate essential technologies for a commercial reactor.

 

Iter could begin construction in 2006 and be operational in 2014. Fusion research would last for up to 20 years."

 

looks like I'm going to be an old man before I see any of these being built commercially in the US.

 

 

[PogoC7]

Originally posted by blike

looks like I'm going to be an old man before I see any of these being built commercially in the US.

 

Yeah, old people like us will be saying "What the hell is that?". It will be a sad day. But anyway, I hope this can accomplished. I will feel very good if my kids live in a world where energy is so efficent. Better vision then a post-nuclear apocalyptic nightmare.