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US Achieves Holy Grail In Energy Production
- Thread starter Torch
- Start date
This isn't really far fetched. Totally 100% doable right now & have the means, technology, and capabilities to do this already. We have miniaturized fission nuclear reactors so not a big problem to launch then into space and power our operations on the moon.
Besides fussion we are already set on a moon base already which will only help speed up resource mining for helium on the moon.
Opps sorry <head nod> credit we’re credit is due!Yup why I said on previous page
I was thinking returning fuel and THEN thought of beaming energy. You were there at the start! Mr Wizard!
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- Joined
- Oct 20, 2022
This is entirely hype.
They made a 'net positive energy' shot. That means more energy came out than they put in. But they've been gradually increasing the ratio for years now, and just crossed the breakeven thrreshold. So it's not a 'breakthrough', just a 'milestone'.
And the form of the energy coming out is in high-speed neutrons and heat, not electricity.
To be a viable energy source, they will need to find a source of tritium, and a way to contain and harness high-speed neutrons (which will irradiate the whole reactor), and, and, and. And then these plants will cost a fortune to build and run. We're still very far from practical man-made fusion reactors as a source of electricity, if ever.
Wheras there's a rather large fusion reactor, for free, in the sky, which delivers it's energy in convenient photons.
See here from a one-sided, but not inaccurate view https://thebulletin.org/2017/04/fusion-reactors-not-what-theyre-cracked-up-to-be/
They made a 'net positive energy' shot. That means more energy came out than they put in. But they've been gradually increasing the ratio for years now, and just crossed the breakeven thrreshold. So it's not a 'breakthrough', just a 'milestone'.
And the form of the energy coming out is in high-speed neutrons and heat, not electricity.
To be a viable energy source, they will need to find a source of tritium, and a way to contain and harness high-speed neutrons (which will irradiate the whole reactor), and, and, and. And then these plants will cost a fortune to build and run. We're still very far from practical man-made fusion reactors as a source of electricity, if ever.
Wheras there's a rather large fusion reactor, for free, in the sky, which delivers it's energy in convenient photons.
See here from a one-sided, but not inaccurate view https://thebulletin.org/2017/04/fusion-reactors-not-what-theyre-cracked-up-to-be/
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Yea when helium3 is split it realses 2 neutrons. That's why there is a "blanket" around the fussion process that absorbs the neutrons and turn their energy into heat. This heat is then used to make steam in tubes around the "blanket" that pushes a turbine which then makes electricity.
Why such a debbie downer? This is a very big thing and not hype. We have finaly proven we can get more electricity out then put in. Until today many thought was impossible for us to achieve or sustain for any period of time.
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2022
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- PNW, United States
Yup this is all hype for a technology that has been attempted since the nuclear bomb was made. It's many years ahead.
I have heard about fusion "breakthroughs" since I can remember, yet we still haven't managed to get pretty much anywhere in over 70 years.
I think this is all hype to one up china, but this tech isn't coming remotely soon.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2022
Yes it's a milestone.
The problem is that it's being spun up into a 'we've cracked carbon-free electricity' story, when that's very far from reality, and fusion may never be viable as an energy source.
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- Jan 2, 2022
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- England
The theory is sound (I mean, look up at the sun)
The technology is sound
All we need to do is miniaturise, make it cheaper, increase the net energy gain & effiency, which is something we humans can do.
It'll take a while, granted, but we will get to a point where it's viable to make fusion plants for electricity. It's inevitable.
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- Jan 2, 2022
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- England
Never say never. Even if the technology couldn't do it (which it can, this achievement shows that) there's always the brute force method large civilisations can do which is let gravity make you a fusion reactor (see the sun).
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- Jun 13, 2022
- Location
- PNW, United States
Maybe, but this article is meaningless to me. It's just another sensationalist article that gets clicks. It's not even confirmed yet.
I don't see why I should treat this any different than supposed cancer cures around the corner.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2022
The efficiency needs to increase by a *lot*. Those lasers are not efficient (as in 1-2%) and can only be fired intermittently.
Extracting the energy is an underappreciated (by the masses) problem too.
Fusion is described as 'clean', but in fact really is not (with D-T fusion), since the entire reactor is bathed in neutrons.
Etc, etc.
And then how much will all this cost, compared to slapping some mass-produced (maybe thin-film soon) solar panels on the roof, and connecting up to very long-range DC distribution, and the myriad energy storage methods now being researched/tyested.
I mean, good work by LLNL, I always support this kind of research for it's own sake, and doubtless there will be many applications of either pulsed fusion, or the equipment/techniques they've developed.
But let's not kid ourselves about carbon free clean fusion electricity generation, It's just not going to happen outside very specific requirements.
Extracting the energy is an underappreciated (by the masses) problem too.
Fusion is described as 'clean', but in fact really is not (with D-T fusion), since the entire reactor is bathed in neutrons.
Etc, etc.
And then how much will all this cost, compared to slapping some mass-produced (maybe thin-film soon) solar panels on the roof, and connecting up to very long-range DC distribution, and the myriad energy storage methods now being researched/tyested.
I mean, good work by LLNL, I always support this kind of research for it's own sake, and doubtless there will be many applications of either pulsed fusion, or the equipment/techniques they've developed.
But let's not kid ourselves about carbon free clean fusion electricity generation, It's just not going to happen outside very specific requirements.
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- Oct 16, 2016
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- Oct 16, 2016
LIVE: U.S. announces scientific breakthrough on fusion energy
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2022
- Location
- England
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2022
- Location
- England
Breakthrough in nuclear fusion energy announced
US researchers have overcome a major barrier to achieving low-carbon nuclear fusion.
www.bbc.co.uk
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2016
Just the Climate Change connection will ensure unlimited financing!
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- Jan 2, 2022
- Location
- England
Your confirmation:
Breakthrough in nuclear fusion energy announced
US researchers have overcome a major barrier to achieving low-carbon nuclear fusion.
www.bbc.co.uk
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2022
as it should.
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2018
- Location
- Australia
Your confirmation:
Breakthrough in nuclear fusion energy announced
US researchers have overcome a major barrier to achieving low-carbon nuclear fusion.
So if electrons can be turned into neutrons and protons (up and down quarks), these different particles must be all constituted of some underlying common essence/substance, what is it?
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2022
- Location
- England
I'm not qualified to answer your question, sorry. I don't know the answer.
So if electrons can be turned into neutrons and protons (up and down quarks), these different particles must be all constituted of some underlying common essence/substance, what is it?
Also, as far as I know we can't turn electrons into protons and neutrons.