Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Inside the Dynomak: A Fusion Technology Cheaper Than Coal
http://spectrum.ieee.org/energy/nuclear/inside-the-dynomak-a-fusion-technology-cheaper-than-coal[font face=Serif][font size=5]Inside the Dynomak: A Fusion Technology Cheaper Than Coal[/font]
[font size=4]Modifying the most common type of experimental reactor might finally make fusion power feasible[/font]
By Evan Ackerman
Posted 26 Nov 2014 | 16:00 GMT
Photo: Michelle Ma/University of Washington
[font size=2]Helicity Hero: A trio of “magnetic helicity injectors” are the key to the University of Washington’s HIT-SI3 fusion experiment.[/font]
[font size=3]Fusion power has many compelling arguments in its favor. It doesn’t produce dangerous, long-term toxic waste, like nuclear fission. It’s far cleaner than coal, with a supply of fuel that’s virtually unlimited. And unlike with wind and solar, the output of a fusion power plant would be constant and reliable.
The primary argument against fusion power has been that despite decades of work, it still doesn’t exist. But that’s no hindrance to a fresh crop of enthusiasts from academia, government, private industry, and even venture capital firms.
In October, Lockheed Martin Corp. revealed that it’s been working on a type of fusion reactor that could be made small enough to transport by truck. Lawrenceville Plasma Physics raised money through crowdfunding in June to advance its alternative proton-boron fusion. Helion Energy is developing a type of fusion based on magnetic compression, and General Fusion is working toward a power system that involves shock waves inside a vortex of liquid metal.
A particularly promising approach was unveiled recently by a University of Washington research group, led by plasma physicist Tom Jarboe. They’ve been developing a type of fusion reactor called a dynomak. The researchers involved say the technology is unique in that it offers a path to a power plant that’s backed up by demonstrated physics and because such a reactor also promises to be even more economical than a coal-fired power plant.
…[/font][/font]
[font size=4]Modifying the most common type of experimental reactor might finally make fusion power feasible[/font]
By Evan Ackerman
Posted 26 Nov 2014 | 16:00 GMT
Photo: Michelle Ma/University of Washington
[font size=2]Helicity Hero: A trio of “magnetic helicity injectors” are the key to the University of Washington’s HIT-SI3 fusion experiment.[/font]
[font size=3]Fusion power has many compelling arguments in its favor. It doesn’t produce dangerous, long-term toxic waste, like nuclear fission. It’s far cleaner than coal, with a supply of fuel that’s virtually unlimited. And unlike with wind and solar, the output of a fusion power plant would be constant and reliable.
The primary argument against fusion power has been that despite decades of work, it still doesn’t exist. But that’s no hindrance to a fresh crop of enthusiasts from academia, government, private industry, and even venture capital firms.
In October, Lockheed Martin Corp. revealed that it’s been working on a type of fusion reactor that could be made small enough to transport by truck. Lawrenceville Plasma Physics raised money through crowdfunding in June to advance its alternative proton-boron fusion. Helion Energy is developing a type of fusion based on magnetic compression, and General Fusion is working toward a power system that involves shock waves inside a vortex of liquid metal.
A particularly promising approach was unveiled recently by a University of Washington research group, led by plasma physicist Tom Jarboe. They’ve been developing a type of fusion reactor called a dynomak. The researchers involved say the technology is unique in that it offers a path to a power plant that’s backed up by demonstrated physics and because such a reactor also promises to be even more economical than a coal-fired power plant.
…[/font][/font]
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
