Our ability to harness energy would figure high up on the list of factors helping us dominate the planet as a species. With time, weāve made expected strides on to more efficient energy utilization. Weāre not burning wood anymore ā or at least, most of the planet isnāt. Instead, weāre hopelessly dependent on coal and oil. While fossil fuels have overseen global adoption, they have major drawbacks ā one being their finite availability, the other being the pollution it causes to air and water. Looking towards the future, the development of sustainable energy sources, such as Nuclear Fusion, holds promise in addressing these challenges.
Almost halfway into the 20th century, we discovered we could extract energy from within the atomic nuclei. Through the process of Nuclear Fission, wherein energy is released when the nucleus of an atom splits, we are able to generate millions of electron-Volts for every atom ā compared to the tens of electron-volts released by burning coal. Similar to its chemical counterpart, the availability of atoms like uranium and thorium that are feasible for nuclear fission is very hard to come by. To add to that, the by-products are radioactive and thus precaution measures should be taken before installing nuclear power plants.
Thereās a stigma attached to using nuclear power ā because weāve dropped bombs employing the principle and destroyed millions of lives. Additionally, humanity has witnessed some disturbing nuclear reactor disasters that have poisoned large areas, rendering them uninhabitable. Despite these significant challenges, itās crucial to recognize that not all nuclear technologies are the same.
While nuclear fission has been associated with weapons and accidents, Nuclear Fusion, an alternative approach to harnessing atomic energy, holds the potential to provide a much safer and cleaner energy source. As we explore advancements in Nuclear Fusion technology, we aim to mitigate the negative connotations associated with nuclear power and pave the way for a more sustainable energy future.
The universe is full of naturally occurring nuclear reactors. But these reactors operate in a different way.Ā Consider our closest star, the Sun. By combining light elements that are abundant in nature into heavier elements, we can release more energy through Nuclear Fusion than Nuclear Fission. In the Sun, two hydrogen atoms combine to form a helium atom, and simultaneously a staggering amountĀ of energy is born.
The primaryĀ reason this could be the future of energy generation is because of the large availability of hydrogen on Earth. The hydrogen present in sea water can be used as the source for the reaction to take place. Not only the availability of hydrogen but the absence of radioactive elements and adverse environmental effects, this is the closest we can get towards clean energy!
Research on nuclear fusion beganĀ nearly half a century ago and major breakthroughs have beenĀ achieved since.But all this is easier said than done. We havenāt been able to feasibly replicate the process on earth. Thereās concern about our inability to safely contain the reaction, and thereās been the bigger problem of our inability to produce the right conditions for nuclear fusion to occur in the first place. Most of our attempts end up consuming more energy than the reaction produces.
The latest breakthrough in nuclear fusion is the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X). The W7-X is a 16-metre-wide nuclear fusion machine ā it is a type of a stellarator, a device used to confine plasma which can heat up to a 100-million-degree Celsius. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics released an image of the machineās first plasma.
Prior to building the W7-X, many doughnut-shaped nuclear fusion reactors were built. But they could maintain the plasma for a maximum of 6 minutes and 30 seconds at a time. The breakeven energy point could not be achieved at such a short span of time.
The W7-X, on the other hand, is predicted to contain plasma for about half an hour. For the initial run, the machine was filled with helium, heated to 1 million degrees Celsius and the plasma was maintained for one-tenth of a second.
It should, however, be noted that the purpose of the W7-X is not to produce energy but rather be a concept for future stellarators. As of now, the aim of the scientists is to contain the plasma for more than 0.1 second.\
Related : Nuclear Fusion vs Fission: Whatās The Difference?
Nuclear fusion has been dubbed theĀ āFuture of Energyā. Problem is ā itās retained that tag for far too long. The joke in the industry is that nuclear fusion is always ā20 years awayā. But, and I wonāt blame you if you laugh this off too ā this may finally change. Recent advancements haveĀ scientists believing that they willĀ finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. If the experiments continue to deliverĀ positive results and the breakeven energy point is achieved, it could affect the world and life on Earth in an encouraging way:
With firms like Lockheed Martin, which claims to haveĀ built a compact nucler fusion reactor, the size of the trunk of a truck, nuclear fusion could finally go mainstream.