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Related Concept Videos

Nuclear Fusion02:45

Nuclear Fusion

The process of converting very light nuclei into heavier nuclei is also accompanied by the conversion of mass into large amounts of energy, a process called fusion. The principal source of energy in the sun is a net fusion reaction in which four hydrogen nuclei fuse and ultimately produce one helium nucleus and two positrons.
A helium nucleus has a mass that is 0.7% less than that of four hydrogen nuclei; this lost mass is converted into energy during the fusion. This reaction produces about...
Nuclear Power02:36

Nuclear Power

Controlled nuclear fission reactions are used to generate electricity. Any nuclear reactor that produces power via the fission of uranium or plutonium by bombardment with neutrons has six components: nuclear fuel consisting of fissionable material, a nuclear moderator, a neutron source, control rods, reactor coolant, and a shield and containment system.
Nuclear Fuels
Nuclear fuel consists of a fissile isotope, such as uranium-235, which must be present in sufficient quantity to provide a...
Nuclear Fission02:50

Nuclear Fission

Many heavier elements with smaller binding energies per nucleon can decompose into more stable elements that have intermediate mass numbers and larger binding energies per nucleon—that is, mass numbers and binding energies per nucleon that are closer to the “peak” of the binding energy graph near 56. Sometimes neutrons are also produced. This decomposition of a large nucleus into smaller pieces is called fission. The breaking is rather random with the formation of a large number of different...
Nuclear Transmutation03:20

Nuclear Transmutation

Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one nuclide into another. It can occur by the radioactive decay of a nucleus, or the reaction of a nucleus with another particle. The first manmade nucleus was produced in Ernest Rutherford’s laboratory in 1919 by a transmutation reaction, the bombardment of one type of nuclei with other nuclei or with neutrons. Rutherford bombarded nitrogen-14 atoms with high-speed α particles from a natural radioactive isotope of radium and observed protons being...
Path Between Thermodynamics States01:21

Path Between Thermodynamics States

Consider the two thermodynamic processes involving an ideal gas that are represented by paths AC and ABC in Figure 1:
Power and Energy01:12

Power and Energy

The power and energy delivered to an element are subjects of great significance in the field of electrical engineering. It is a well-known fact that a 100-watt light bulb emits more light than a 60-watt one. Therefore, power and energy calculations play a crucial role in the analysis of electrical circuits.
Power, defined as the time rate of expending or absorbing energy, is quantified in units called watts (W). The relation between power and energy is mathematically given as

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Preparation and Evaluation of Hybrid Composites of Chemical Fuel and Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes in the Study of Thermopower Waves
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The path to fusion power.

Chris Llewellyn Smith1, Steve Cowley

  • 1Euratom/CCFE Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB, UK.

Philosophical Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences
|February 4, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Fusion power generation is achievable, as demonstrated by past experiments. The focus now is on developing reliable and economical fusion power plants through an aggressive 30-year program.

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Area of Science:

  • Nuclear Engineering
  • Plasma Physics

Background:

  • Fusion power holds significant promise for clean energy.
  • Past demonstrations, like the Joint European Torus (JET) in 1997, have proven fusion works.
  • Key challenges remain in achieving reliable and economical fusion power on a commercial scale.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline the promise, status, and challenges of fusion power development.
  • To describe the fundamental physics and engineering principles of fusion.
  • To propose an aggressive program for achieving fusion power.

Main Methods:

  • Review of fusion physics and engineering principles.
  • Quantification of recent progress in fusion research.
  • Detailed description of the 'Fast Track to Fusion' program.

Main Results:

  • Fusion energy generation is scientifically feasible, as evidenced by past experimental successes.
  • The primary obstacle to fusion power is scaling up for reliable and economic power station operation.
  • An aggressive, detailed program ('Fast Track to Fusion') is proposed to meet this challenge within 30 years.

Conclusions:

  • Fusion power is a viable energy source, but requires significant engineering and economic solutions.
  • The 'Fast Track to Fusion' program offers a strategic pathway to commercial fusion power.
  • Accelerated development is crucial to realize fusion energy's potential within the next three decades.