The Promise of Fusion Energy

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The Promise of Fusion Energy

• Edward C. Morse
• Nuclear Engineering
• UC Berkeley

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Fusion Pre-Test

• 1. (T/F) Fusion reactors use the energy of
  the stars, i. e. the same nuclear reaction as
  the sun and other stars.

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Fusion Pre-test

• 2. (T/F) Fusion reactors use di-Lithium
  Crystals just like the Starship Enterprise on
  the early episodes of Star
  Trek.

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Fusion Pre-test

• 3. (T/F) Fusion reactors do not generate
  nuclear waste.

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Fusion Pre-test Answers

• 1. False. The suns predominant nuclear reaction
  is
• p p e d n
• whereas fusion reactors on earth will use
• d t n a
• with approximately 1020 times larger cross
  section.

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Fusion Pre-test Answers

• 2. True. Fusion reactors generate tritium
  through the reaction
• n 6Li a t
• and the form of the lithium can be dilithium
  oxide ( Li2O ) or other lithium-bearing
  material.

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Fusion Pre-test Answers

• 3. False. Although the biological risk is
  about 10-5 that of fission power wastes, there
  can be some neutron activation of wall materials
  around the reactor unless these materials are
  carefully chosen to avoid most metallic
  elements.

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Outline of Talk

• What is Fusion ?
• Approaches to Fusion
• Fusion in the World Energy Economy
• The US Fusion Program
• The Livermore Program

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First Fusion Event
Thermonuclear shot Mike, 1 November 1952, 10.2
MT, Eniwetok Atoll
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Tellers Fusion Reaction
NOT the energy of the stars
1 gal ordinary H2O 300 gal gasoline
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Past Successes
JET Culham, UK 16 Megawatts Fusion Pf / Pinj
0.65
TFTR Princeton, NJ 16 Megawatts Fusion Pf / Pinj
0.27
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ITER International
Thermonuclear Experimental
Reactor
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Fusion in the World EnergyEconomy

• Coal Produces 51.8 of Electricity in US, most
  of world electricity
• We run out in 220 years at current consumption
  rates
• We run out of Uranium in 300 years without
  breeder reactors
• Fusion supply Billions of years

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US Energy Pie Chart
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Fusion Power Reactor
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Types of Plasma Confinement
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Fusion Reaction
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Isotopes of Hydrogen
An isotope of an element is an atomic form with
a specific number of neutrons. All isotopes of
one element have the same number of protons and
electrons. A hydrogen atom with no neutrons is
sometimes called protium. The other forms
are deuterium and tritium.
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Advantages of Fusion over Coal
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Plasma The Fourth State of Matter
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Fusion energy balance
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Lawson criteria