How far are we from mass energy production via fusion? What are the technological holdups? What would constitute a breakthrough?

I want my Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor!

7/8/2008 2:07:11 PM

fance is building a fusion reactor that will hopefully be online in 2010.

there is a new fusion reactor out now (popular science?) that is light years more efficient than what's been out so far and able to hold the plasma for longer, but it's not fully operational yet. uses magnets and crap. yes crap.

[Edited on July 8, 2008 at 2:46 PM. Reason : e]

7/8/2008 2:45:32 PM

Quote :

"How far are we from mass energy production via fusion? What are the technological holdups? What would constitute a breakthrough?"

50 years, materials, materials

7/8/2008 2:47:33 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusion_power

7/8/2008 3:39:09 PM

Quote :

"fance"

7/8/2008 4:00:50 PM

they are better than FRANCE.

7/8/2008 7:44:33 PM

http://focusfusion.org/log/index.php

http://nextbigfuture.com/2008/07/next-bussard-iec-fusion-reactor-could.html

7/8/2008 10:55:12 PM

I haven't followed it in depth in a few years...

Tokamaks: ITER is being built with without with possibly without US funding. The US gov't keeps changing its mind. The main problem is getting a discharge to last long enough to be self-sustaining. A wide variety of instability mechanisms act to extinguish the discharge beforehand. There are a number of other Tokamaks that are currently in test, JET, DIII-D and others.

Inertial confinement: NIF is cool and all, but it is after all, just a project to simulate nuclear weapons.

Alternate concepts: Getting some fusion to happen is not that difficult. There are a number of other methods used - the enterprising graduate student at NCSU could build one. Theta pinches, plasma focuses (foci?), z-pinches, and inertial electrostatic confinement devices are reasonably simple devices to build. The problem is making the plasma hot enough to enough fusion reactions to occur so that you can get more energy out than you put in. You have to either a) have enough neutrons and other radiation to heat the wall to drive a steam cycle or do some sort of MHD direct conversion.

7/9/2008 12:27:49 AM

You might find http://fti.neep.wisc.edu/neep602/lecture26.html interesting.

7/9/2008 1:01:28 AM

It's coming together nicely.

7/9/2008 7:42:35 AM

chit-chat ?

7/9/2008 8:31:58 AM

shit-chat

7/10/2008 7:17:28 PM

Quote :

"t's coming together nicely."

Hardy har har.

7/10/2008 9:48:53 PM

Try the veal, don't forget to tip your waitress.

7/11/2008 4:26:33 PM

http://arstechnica.com/journals/science.ars/2008/08/27/simulating-new-fusion-reactor-designs

new stuff in fusion

8/27/2008 5:56:42 PM