energy
Reports: Breakthrough in nuclear fusion research
A NIF target pellet in a cavity capsule with laser beams entering through openings at both ends (stock image). The beams compress and heat the target to the conditions required for nuclear fusion. photo
© –/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/dpa
Unlike nuclear power generation, nuclear fusion is considered clean and safe. One day, large amounts of electricity could be generated in this way, the scientists hope.
According to media reports, scientists in the USA have made a historic breakthrough in the field of nuclear fusion. According to the newspapers “Financial Times” and “Washington Post”, researchers working on behalf of the US government have for the first time succeeded in nuclear fusion that produced more energy than was consumed.
This result, based on preliminary data, would be a milestone on the way to developing a new energy source that could one day generate electricity in large quantities in a climate-neutral and safe manner. The results obtained at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (California) were reportedly due to be presented officially on Tuesday.
Almost a year ago, advances in nuclear fusion were announced at the institute. A research team reported in the journal “Nature” at the beginning of the year that the ignition of the plasma was achieved. This ultimately results in the fusion reaction becoming self-sustaining. In the nuclear fusion reactor, the fuel is in the form of plasma – this state of aggregation is created when a gas is extremely heated.
Temperatures of several million degrees
Both nuclear power and nuclear fusion derive energy from the binding forces of atomic nuclei. With nuclear power, however, large atoms are split, radioactive waste is produced, among other things, and there is a risk of serious accidents. In nuclear fusion, on the other hand, small atomic nuclei are fused – fused – into larger ones, the technology is considered clean and safe. This generation of energy is similar to what happens in stars like the sun.
However, temperatures of several million degrees must be reached for nuclear fusion. This made the technical use of nuclear fusion very difficult – and that is why there has never been a reactor that could produce more energy than was put into it to heat up the plasma.
For their experiments, the researchers in California used the world’s most powerful laser system to convert tiny amounts of heavy and superheavy hydrogen (deuterium and tritium) into a million-degree hot plasma. Many laser beams heat up the inside of a container a few millimeters in size.