this post was submitted on 12 Nov 2023

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Japan sets new nuclear fusion record (bigthink.com)

submitted 2 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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A massive nuclear fusion experiment just hit a major milestone, potentially putting us a little closer to a future of limitless clean energy.

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[–] [email protected] 78 points 2 years ago (6 children)

If we could harness the heat from nuclear fusion here on Earth, we could use it to generate electricity on-demand without worrying about carbon emissions, nuclear waste, or running out of fuel

I don't want to detract from this exciting milestone. Fusion is an absolute requirement for the complete end of our reliance on fossil fuels and there are no problems significant enough to warrant the end to fusion experiments. However, this statement is definitely not true with tokamak reactors. They typically use deuterium and tritium for fuel, which are limited resources. Fusion reactions are far more difficult with other light elemental isotopes. These reactors also use beryllium as shielding, which is a carcinogen. When the shielding needs to be replaced, it actually is radioactive.

[–] [email protected] 78 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Those are entirely accurate facts, but those downsides are absolutely dwarfed by the upsides to the technology's potential. It's like getting your own spaceship, then pointing out that it lacks cup holders.

[–] [email protected] 46 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)

I agree, fusion reactors will absolutely revolutionize everything, and even if we can't do better than tokamak reactors, these problems are still pretty mild. I just expect more from scientific journalism

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 years ago

Fusion is a very long term goal and I'm sure they are careful to not tarnish its image. But yes sadly the first commercial fusion reactors probably won't be sustainable but once they are a reality investment into the technology will be much greater and hopefully cleaner fuels will become a reality.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I remember about 15 years ago I did a school report on fusion power. I remember there was another model than the tokamak that was more complex to set up but had other advantages going for it. Think it was called the stellaradiator or something. Has it been a developmental dead end?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Stellarator
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellarator

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

Ah yeah that’s the one. Thanks

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

has it been a developmental dead end?

Nope, there are several companies & universities working on it.

W7x is the latest stellarator to come online, but there's a new Princeton University startup called Thea doing all the complex geometry and control problems of a stellarator in software.

It's a neat and elegant idea, engineering-wise. And no matter whose strategy works out, we all win in terms of understanding plasma physics, and possibly unlocking the secrets of the universe.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

it may be that the author knew that if that was included their work would be used by your ben shapiro types to proclaim that fusion reactors create substances that are both carcinogenic AND radioactive!!!! and can site their article. not saying thats the case, but I could understand such reasoning

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 years ago

I really appreciate this. It's important to be aware of all the facts

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Deuterium is pretty common, and tritium can be produced by lithium irradiation. They are finite resources, but still much larger than pretty much any existing resource.

It is true that fusion equipment suffers from neutron radiation, however this is a potential for breeding tritium.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Like I said elsewhere, the problems I pointed out are relatively mild in comparison to all the good from fusion energy. However, there's only approximately 25kg of tritium in the entire world. ITER is expected to use a majority of this world-wide supply. The mass manufacturing of tritium also presents another problem you pointed out with the supply: a super rare isotope needs rare earth metals to manufacture, one that is already in extremely high demand. I love this research and I want to succeed in any way possible. But we have to face reality and the material problems the science has to overcome.

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 years ago (1 children)

What's new ? this :

Stepping stone: At 52 feet tall, the JT-60SA is now the biggest tokamak to reach first plasma anywhere in the world — but it likely won’t be for long.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 years ago

I'd be surprised if they don't start setting performance records soon. First plasma was a few weeks ago.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Tony Stark was able to build this in a cave!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago

Well I'm sorry. I'm not Tonny Stark

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

I've read the article and I'm still not clear what the breakthrough is.

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