What is the nuclear fusion reactor at General Atomics La Jolla?
The DIII-D National Fusion Facility, operated by General Atomics for the U.S. Department of Energy, is a world-leading research facility that is pioneering the science and innovative techniques that will enable the development of nuclear fusion as an energy source for the next generation.
Where is the ITER project happening?
We invite you to explore the ITER website for more information on the science of ITER, the ITER international collaboration and the large-scale building project that is underway in Saint Paul-lez-Durance, southern France.
What is the problem with fusion power plants?
But fusion reactors have other serious problems that also afflict today’s fission reactors, including neutron radiation damage and radioactive waste, potential tritium release, the burden on coolant resources, outsize operating costs, and increased risks of nuclear weapons proliferation.
Who first discovered nuclear fusion?
In the 1930’s scientists, particularly Hans Bethe, discovered that nuclear fusion was possible and that it was the energy source for the sun. Beginning in the 1940’s researchers began to look for ways to initiate and control fusion reactions to produce useful energy on earth.
Does America have a fusion reactor?
Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s flagship laser facility shattered their own record earlier this month by generating more than 10 quadrillion watts of fusion power for a fraction of a second — roughly 700 times the generating capacity of the entire US electrical grid at any given moment. News of the …
Where is Europe’s research Centre for nuclear fusion?
Critical for the success of the European fusion research programme is the successful completion of ITER, a fusion test facility currently under construction in the South of France, within a reasonable timeframe.
What are the problems with a fusion reactor?
In addition to the problems of fueling , fusion reactors face another problem: they consume a good chunk of the very power that they produce, or what those in the electrical generating industry call “parasitic power drain,” on a scale unknown to any other source of electrical power.
How would a nuclear fusion reactor produce energy?
Fusion power is a proposed form of power generation that would generate electricity by using heat from nuclear fusion reactions. In a fusion process, two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, while releasing energy. Devices designed to harness this energy are known as fusion reactors .
How are nuclear fusion reactors work?
In nuclear fusion, energy is generated when two atoms join together to form one. A fusion reactor works when hydrogen atoms come together and form helium atoms, neutrons, and a huge amount of energy. This is the same reaction that powers hydrogen bombs as well as the sun.
How do you make nuclear power?
Nuclear power is generated by splitting atoms to release the energy held at the core, or nucleus, of those atoms. This process, nuclear fission, generates heat that is directed to a cooling agent—usually water. The resulting steam spins a turbine connected to a generator, producing electricity.