atomic fusion technology

[lutherangerman]

Hey, I could need some input from learned physicists.

I used to be under the impression that mankind will likely never master fusion technology, neither hot nor cold fusion. Consequently, I've worried a lot how mankind will supply it's energy needs in the future when oil, gas and coal will run out.

But some years ago I talked with another christian who told me that certainly fusion technology will be available for us soon. He was a retired physicist who actually worked for the US energy department. He didn't reveal too much about it but he remarked that we could have fusion technology already if politics didn't want to cater first to the energy corporations who simply want to get the most out of the current energy business.

How do you see this? Is fusion technology something from a fairytale or do we really have a chance to make this work for all of us soon?

 

[jonmichael818]

Well I am no physicist, but I am a big fan of science and try to keep up to date on these kinds of things. What I do know is that we have produced (multiple times) nuclear fusion inside fusion reactors. The problem is that it only lasts for a few seconds and then dies down.
The largest fusion reactor is being built in France, and is estimated to cost 16 billion Euros.-International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

Also check out this video:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe7mbv7v9Zg[/youtube]

 

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

Well I am no physicist, but I am a big fan of science and try to keep up to date on these kinds of things. What I do know is that we have produced (multiple times) nuclear fusion inside fusion reactors. The problem is that it only lasts for a few seconds and then dies down.
The largest fusion reactor is being built in France, and is estimated to cost 16 billion Euros.-International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

Practical fusion power has been 20 years away for 60 years.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Hey, I could need some input from learned physicists.

I used to be under the impression that mankind will likely never master fusion technology, neither hot nor cold fusion. Consequently, I've worried a lot how mankind will supply it's energy needs in the future when oil, gas and coal will run out.

But some years ago I talked with another christian who told me that certainly fusion technology will be available for us soon. He was a retired physicist who actually worked for the US energy department. He didn't reveal too much about it but he remarked that we could have fusion technology already if politics didn't want to cater first to the energy corporations who simply want to get the most out of the current energy business.

How do you see this? Is fusion technology something from a fairytale or do we really have a chance to make this work for all of us soon?

Fusion is relatively easy to do; the trick is making it output enough energy to make it commercially viable.

And, at the NIF, it's practically done. Next step: scaling it up to marketable levels.

So, despite the oil oligarchs holding back clean, abundant energy, science will (as ever) prevailed!

 

[Nabobalis]

Fusion is relatively easy to do; the trick is making it output enough energy to make it commercially viable.

And, at the NIF, it's practically done. Next step: scaling it up to marketable levels.

So, despite the oil oligarchs holding back clean, abundant energy, science will (as ever) prevailed!

Hmm, fusion has always been fascination of mine. Hopefully real fusion () will speed up with ITER, don't want Americans playing with lasers

 

[lutherangerman]

Thanks. How about cold fusion?

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Thanks. How about cold fusion?

Bubbles!

Seriously. Bubbles. Sonoluminescent cavitation is the way forward, man. Like, totally.

 

[Nabobalis]

Bubbles!

Seriously. Bubbles. Sonoluminescent cavitation is the way forward, man. Like, totally.

That is one of the experiments in the 3rd year labs and every year so far no one has got a result. They have to come up with reason as to why and I didn't envy them when I found out.

 

[Maxwell511]

Fusion is relatively easy to do; the trick is making it output enough energy to make it commercially viable.

Our ability to generate alot energy from fusion reactions is grand. Controlled reactions are a problem. This is why we need to be clear on our governmental memos.

"We want to supply London with fusion energy by 2030" is a bit ambigious and might lead to unwanted results:

 

[Maxwell511]

Thanks. How about cold fusion?

There is no evidence that cold fusion is possible.

Having said this there was no evidence for superconductivity before we discovered it and when was first discovered there was serious questions about how it could be true. It took years to develop a theory about it.

Btw we don't have an energy production problem, we have an energy storage problem. If we could storage massive amounts of energy efficiently, fusion technology would be irrelevant and obsolete.

 

[Gracchus]

The problem of fusion power is containment. You have to deal with some serious energy flows, which usually means containing them with electromagnetic fields. Unless of course you contain them with gravitational fields. How, I wonder, could you ever do that? You would have lots of problems with scale.
I think I shall ponder that problem while I go out and watch the sun set.

 

[Ar Cosc]

Some huge proportion (I heard well over 50%) of research and funding into renewable energy has been into fusion power, which, to date, hasn't provided a single watt of power to a national grid. You can't help but wonder if we'd all be reaping the benefits of cheap wind, wave, tidal and solar power if that money had been poured into their development instead.

 

[Nostromo]

They could harness me for cheap wind at the moment

 

[jonmichael818]

Some huge proportion (I heard well over 50%) of research and funding into renewable energy has been into fusion power, which, to date, hasn't provided a single watt of power to a national grid. You can't help but wonder if we'd all be reaping the benefits of cheap wind, wave, tidal and solar power if that money had been poured into their development instead.

With regards to the funding of various energy projects, I think that is a lot like basic investments. You can throw all your money into one stock and hope for the best, or you can diversify your portfolio and your chances of making a profit will increase.
Funding energy programs involving solar, wind and tidal are good, but I think it is well worth the investment into fusion technology also. If we can make it work, our investment into it would be nothing compared to the type of returns we would gain.

 

[Ar Cosc]

A very good point