carburologue wrote:Hello,
Could someone explain to me the concept of inexhaustible energy that would be nuclear fusion thanks to the deuterium contained in sea water ???
please
The basic principle consists in taking two small atoms to merge them and to make a larger one contrary to the fision which takes a large one to break it into a second a little smaller + a helion and three neutrons.
Generally, we speak either of fusing two atoms of deuterium (a stable isotope of hydrogen), either a deuterium + a Lithium (better because aneutronic), or a hydrogen with Boron .... Other combinations are possible, the principle is that it gives at least one helium nucleus. Most often this nucleus will be unstable and therefore radioactive (alpha particle), hence the creation of waste to be managed. This waste, however, has nothing to do with current waste because it is considered in radioactivity as a large particle and even if it strongly ionizes its surroundings, it can be stopped with a simple sheet of paper and it stabilizes very quickly. This Helion is also naturally present in the environment. This is the main problem linked to the degradation of radon in the granite rocks of Brittany, for example.
The presence of this helion in the nuclear industry since its beginnings makes me say that we will master it without problem (detection techniques and equipment for example have been around for a very long time and are perfectly mastered).
This energy is considered inexhaustible at first because of the phenomenal amount of energy that it should theoretically develop. Then because the resources (deuterium at the head) are naturally present everywhere and in abundance.
Then, two schools "clash" those who think that only hot fusion is possible and those who think that we can also do cold fusion. In fact, the former have enormous means and snub (a little a lot) the latter. However, progress has been made in the two areas which for me are rather complementary.
@Cuicui
It seems that the continuous deuterium-tritium fusion in a tokamac of the genus ITER is without future because it poses theoretical problems for the moment unresolved which prevent it from functioning long enough. On the other hand, deuterium and tritium are expensive. In addition, the reaction produces radioactive waste.
The future undoubtedly lies in hydrogen-boron fusion, which is not done continuously by magnetic confinement as in tokamacs, but discontinuously (series of miniature thermonuclear explosions). Fuel is cheap and plentiful. The reaction is not radioactive (therefore no waste), and produces helium which can be used for other applications.
Can you develop why you think ITER and others have no future? Personally, I consider that nothing is played for Hydrogen-boron fusion. It remains hot fusion and nothing in everything I have read suggests that the technical challenges are less important than those implemented in tokamac.
In addition to advance a figure of 200 x cheaper than ITER when we have not the slightest start of the plan, I find that frankly demago ....
An experimental device called z-machine has already produced heat several times greater than that which is necessary to initiate hydrogen-boron fusion.
A prototype of this kind of plant would cost 200 x less than ITER but threatens the interests of financiers who have invested in oil and in uranium nuclear power plants. And since they also control the major news media ...
It has been a long time since we had had a history of conspiracies .... It is still strong, isn't it?
The Z-machine is an American tool. ITER was built when the Americans were against it because they saw that the Europeans were going to get ahead.
Do you not seriously believe that they would like to release a product competing with ours ?? If it was so easy, they would have already done it, they are no more stupid than us.
If, in addition, it is 200X cheaper, they could sell it all over the place and that would allow them to solve their energy problems, their external deficit, they would once again be the dominators of the world ...
Overall ITER is 5 billion euros just for construction. 200 x less is 25 million euros. Knowing that a 1 GW nuclear power plant costs around 1.5 billion, they would be well advised to offer this technology to China, India, Germany .... Even by making discounts of 50% compared to at the cost of a fission power plant, they would put their pockets in it until they were thirsty.
Let's be serious, I think that Hydrogen-boron fusion is to be studied but the challenges are as important as for other hot fusions.