The rise of fusion technology in the United States
Nuclear fusion is the process of combining two light atoms into a heavier atom, releasing a lot of energy in the process. These reactions form the sun and other stars and can provide humans with clean, safe, and abundant energy. However, nuclear fusion is very difficult to achieve on Earth, as the natural production of good atomic nuclei requires very high temperatures to overcome.
In 2023, many research groups around the world announced the many challenges in nuclear power technology.
One is the Korean Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) facility, which reached a record plasma temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius in 30 seconds in September 2022. hotter than the core of the sun. The temperature is about 15 million degrees Kelvin2. Another milestone was reached at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California, where the first energy from a fusion experiment was announced in December 2022. This means that the fusion reaction produces more energy here than it uses to make the laser. IT.
These achievements have increased US interest and investment in fusion research, and increased competition and cooperation with other countries, including China, France, Japan, and Russia.
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced a new project called the Fusion Energy Science Accelerator (FESA), which aims to accelerate the development and deployment of fusion energy technology by 2030. The initiative will support existing projects such as NIF and the international fusion reactor ITER. It is under construction in France alongside new facilities such as SPARC, a fusion reactor developed by MIT and Commonwealth Fusion Systems.
Nuclear fusion is one of the best solutions to the world's energy and climate problems as it has unlimited fuel, low carbon emission, Low power and strong power. However, many technical, economic and social challenges need to be overcome before the combination can become effective and powerful overall. Some of these challenges include maintaining stable plasma, expanding reactor size and power supply, reducing the cost and complexity of technology, ensuring safety, and gaining public recognition and trust.
Nuclear fusion is a hot topic in the United States because it represents a scientific frontier, a major national mission, an international opportunity, and a revolution that has the potential to change the future of humanity.
References:
1: South Korean fusion reactor reaches 100 million °C in 30 seconds 2: Solar core - Wikipedia 3: Inside the 'Holy Grail' fusion experiment that creates a mini sun after the space race Competitive Weakness 4: DOE, Fusion Announces $1.15 Billion to Accelerate Energy Development: MIT-Designed Project That Profits Fusion Energy
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