Extra mass per nucleon

Fusion: Creating a Star on Earth

Produced by General Atomics in Conjunction with

Schools in the San Diego area

Fusion: Creating a Star on Earth Fusion: Creating a Star on Earth

Produced by Produced by General Atomics General Atomics in Conjunction with in Conjunction with

Schools in the San Diego area

Schools in the San Diego area

Why is Fusion Important?

Why is Fusion Important?

Why is Fusion Important?

Alternative Energy Sources Alternative Energy Sources

• Hydroelectric Power

• Wind

• Geothermal

• Solar

Fossil Fuel Energy Sources - Fossil Fuel Energy Sources - Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

Advantages Disadvantages Disadvantages

Coal Coal

• Causes acid rain

and air pollution

Oil Oil

with many derivitives • Causes air pollution

• Transportable

Natural Gas

Natural Gas

• Transportable • Dangerous to handle

Energy Source Energy Source

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages and Disadvantages

Energy Sources Advantages Disadvantages Energy Sources Advantages Disadvantages Fission

Fission

immediate pollution

Hydroelectric

Hydroelectric

• Geographically limited

Wind Wind

windmills required for

adequate power generation

• Geographically limited

Geothermal

Geothermal

Solar

Solar

World Fossil Reserves World Fossil Reserves

Amount of Fossil Fuels

Hundreds of Years Millions

of Years

1900 2200

Fusion Energy Fusion Energy

The fossil fuel era is almost over. If we continue to burn fossil fuels for energy, they will last only

another few hundred years. At our present rate of use, experts predict a shortfall in less than fifty years.

400

300

200

100

0 1900

Now

2000 2100 2200 2300

World energy consumption

Shortfall must be supplied by

alternative sources

Energy available (fossil, hydro, non-breeder fission) Assumes world population

stablizes at 10 billion,

consuming at 2/3 U.S. 1985 rate

Energy consumption (billion barrels of oil equiv. per year)

Fossil Fuel is Environmentally Costly Fossil Fuel is Environmentally Costly

1000 MW electric plant 1000 MW electric plant

• It provides electricity for 1 million U.S. people (1.4 kW/person) • We need at least 3 plants this size for San Diego

• We need at least 30 for California

• A coal plant this size consumes 8,600 tons of coal per day.

• This produces 32,000 tons of CO

per day

• This is 64 pounds of CO

for every American per day

n+U fission fragments + neutrons + energy

In a typical fission process used as a source

of energy, a neutron strikes a uranium nucleus causing

it to split into fragments. As in the fusion process, there is a difference in mass that is released as energy

Neutrons

Fission Fission

Large Atom

Atom

Atom

ENERGY

+

Fusion Fusion

Atom

Atom Large Atom

ENERGY

+

Fusion vs. Fission Fusion vs. Fission

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages and Disadvantages

Energy Sources Advantages Disadvantages Energy Sources Advantages Disadvantages Fission

Fission

immediate pollution

Fusion

Fusion

• Fuel is accessible • Reactor vessel core

worldwide becomes radioactive

• Clean

• Fusion reactors are

inherently safe, they cannot explode or overheat

Comparison of Comparison of

Long-Term Energy Sources Long-Term Energy Sources

Resources Environment Safety Cost Resources Environment Safety Cost Coal Coal

Today’s Today’s Fission Fission Advanced Advanced Fission Fission Solar Solar Fusion Fusion

Large Small

Large

Infinite Infinite

Very Dirty Waste Concerns Waste Concerns Very

Clean Clean

Good Active Control Passive

Excellent Inherent

Moderate Moderate

Moderate to High High

?

So Why Aren’t Fusion So Why Aren’t Fusion Power Plants Here Now?

Power Plants Here Now?

p n p

p p n n n n

e

e

e e

2 orbitals with 2 electrons each

4 Protons 5 Neutrons 4 Electrons

Protons = Atomic Number

Protons + Neutrons

= Atomic Mass

Be 4 Beryllium

9

Fusion Energy Fusion Energy

Plasma is sometimes referred to as the

fourth state of matter

–

– – + + +

– +

Cold

Solid:Ice

Warm

Liquid: Water

Hot

Gas: Steam

Hotter

Plasma

Plasma Makes up The Sun & Stars

Plasma Makes up The

Sun & Stars

Normal Atoms

Normal Atoms

Like Charges Repel

Like Charges Repel

Hydrogen

Hydrogen

Hydrogen = 1H¹ Deuterium = 1H² Tritium = 1H³

1

H

1

H

H

1

H

+

H

H

+

e

1

H

+

H

He

+ (gamma)

2

He

+

He

He

+

H

+

H

radiation

Thermonuclear Reactions in the Sun Thermonuclear Reactions in the Sun

In the first reaction, 2 protons combine to form deuterium and a positron.

One of the protons is converted into a neutron and a positon

proton neutron positron

In the 2nd reaction a proton + deuterium unite to form the light isotope of helium, ₂He³

The first two reactions must occur twice for the 3rd

reaction to occur

Summary of Solar Fusion Reactions Summary of Solar Fusion Reactions

P P

P

2

He

D

2

He

D

2

He

+

+

+

+ e

+ Energy

+ gamma radiation + Energy

+ P + P + Energy

2

He

But the Potential Payoff is Enormous But the Potential Payoff is Enormous

•

•

D T

E=mc ²

n He

E = mc E = mc ^{2 2}

Einstein’s equation that equates energy and mass

E = Energy m = Mass

c = Speed of Light (3 x 10

/sec) Example:

If a 1 gram raisin was converted completely into energy E = 1 gram x c

= (10

kg) ( 3 x 10

m/sec)

= 9 x 10

joules

This would be equivalent to 10,000 tons of TNT!

0.008

0.006

0.004

0.002

0

- 0.002

0 40 80 120 160 200 240

Extra mass per nucleon

Hydrogen Deuterium

Tritium

Lithium

Uranium

Energy Release E = mc

Energy Release E = mc ^{2 2}

Fusion Fusion

Energy Input

We give kinetic energy (temperature) to

hydrogen

Energy Output

We get back 2000 times more energy than we put in

COAL

OIL

FISSION

FUSION

~2,000,000 TONNES (21,010 RAILCAR LOADS)

~1,300,000 TONNES (10,000,000 BARRELS)

~30 TONNES UO₂ (ONE RAILCAR LOAD)

~0.6 TONNES D (ONE PICKUP TRUCK)

50 Cups Sea Water

Thimble of ²H (D) Deuterium

2 Tons of Coal

20 Tons of Coal

or

Abundant Energy From Sea Water

Abundant Energy From Sea Water

Reduced Waste Products Reduced Waste Products

Power Power Source Source Coal Fission Fusion:

Today’s Materials Advanced Materials

Total Waste Total Waste

(cubic meters)

10,000 (ashes) 440

2000 2000

High-Level High-Level RAD Waste RAD Waste

0 120

30

0

Heat Exchanger

Coolant

Steam Turbine Electrical Generator Neutron

Heat Exchange

Material

Reaction Ignition Temperature Output Energy Reaction Ignition Temperature Output Energy

Fuel Product (millions of °C) (keV) (keV)

17,600

18,300

~4,000

~4,000

P P P

P

P P P

P

P P

P P

P P

n n

n n

n n n

n

n n

n n n n

n n n

D + T

D + ³He

D + D

4He + n

4He + p

3He + n

T + p

45 4

350 30

400 35

400 35

P P

Deuteron

Fusion Reaction

Helium Energetic

Neutron

Fusion Represents an Inexhaustible Fusion Represents an Inexhaustible

Energy Supply for Mankind Energy Supply for Mankind

• Fusion fuels deuterium (D) and tritium (T) are hydrogen isotopes

• 3/4 oz. of heavy water has the same energy content as 13,000 gallons of oil for

D-D reaction, or 32,000 gallons of oil for D-T reaction

•Tritium is made from n + Li T + He

• Lithium is plentiful both in the earth’s crust and oceans

3/4 oz. heavy water (D₂0)

1 barrel (42 gal.) water

(H20)

• Compressing the fuel

• Internal Electric Current

• Neutral Particles

• Microwaves

• Lasers

Methods to Heat Methods to Heat

Deuterium-Tritium Fuel

Deuterium-Tritium Fuel

Fusion can be accomplished in Fusion can be accomplished in

Three Different Ways Three Different Ways

SUN

Inertial Confinement

Fuel Pellet

Intense Energy Beams Magnetic

Field

Magnetic Confinement

+

- Nucleus

Electron

High Power Lasers can Deliver the Intensity High Power Lasers can Deliver the Intensity

Required for Fusion Ignition Required for Fusion Ignition

Over one hundred trillion watts of laser power

Tens of millions 100 to 1000 trillion

watts/cm² About 100 watts/cm²

300°C

2 watts of sunlight

Inertial Confinement Fusion Concept Inertial Confinement Fusion Concept

Our ultimate goal is to create a short lived, microminiature star which will release energy by thermonuclear fusion in the same manner that our sun and the stars produce energy.

Heating of

ablator

Ablation and

compression

Use high power laser to heat

outer surface of pellet

Outward streaming ablator material produces an inward directed, rocket-like

force that compresses

DT Fuel

Inertial Confinement Fusion Concept Inertial Confinement Fusion Concept

(continued) (continued)

Ignition and Thermonuclear burn

Thermonuclear burn of the DT fuel will produce a fusion yield many times the input driver energy

Compression and heating

Careful tailoring of implosion produces compression to

several 1000X and 100,000,000°C

Toroidal Magnetic Confinement of

Plasma

Toroidal Magnetic Confinement of

Plasma

Typical Plasmas Typical Plasmas

Interstellar Interstellar Solar Corona Solar Corona Thermonuclear Thermonuclear Laser

Laser

Air Density Air Density

10

10

10

10

10

Density Density n n

(m (m

) )

Temperature Temperature T T

(eV) (eV) ° ° K K

1 10

10

10

1/40

10

10

10

10

294

Characteristics of a Plasma Characteristics of a Plasma

• Particles are charged

• Conducts electricity

• Can be constrained magnetically

Unconfined Unconfined

Electrons

Confined Confined

Ion

Magnetic Field Lines

Where are the Current Major Fusion Energy

Research Projects?

Where are the Current Where are the Current

Major Fusion Energy Major Fusion Energy

Research Projects?

Research Projects?

JET from the European Community JT-60U in Japan

NOVA at Lawrence Livermore Labs in California TFTR at PPPL in Princeton, New Jersey

DIII-D at General Atomics in San Diego, CA

List of Major Programs/Devices Worldwide

List of Major Programs/Devices Worldwide

NOVA Machine Used Inertial Confinement NOVA Machine Used Inertial Confinement

(Has Not Proved as Successful as (Has Not Proved as Successful as

Magnetic Confinement)

Magnetic Confinement)

TFTR is located at PPPL TFTR is located at PPPL

Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton, New Jersey

DIII-D is Located at General Atomics DIII-D is Located at General Atomics

San Diego, CA

San Diego, CA

ITER ITER

( ( International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor)

• Cooperative effort by Europe, Japan, U.S. and Russia

• Conceptual Design Activity completed

• Engineering Design Activity is underway

– Three sites: San Diego, U.S.A., Garching, Germany and Naka, Japan

– Detailed engineering and protoype testing – Cost of $300 M per party over 6 years

• Decision to proceed with construction

ITER ITER

(International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor)

(International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor)

ITER

Fusion Experiments Now Approach Fusion Experiments Now Approach

Ignition Conditions Ignition Conditions

TFTR 87 TFTR 88

JET 88 TFTR 86

JET 89

JET 88 JET 86 JET 89

DIII-D 89

TFTR 86 ALC-C 83

DIII-D 89 DIII-D 89

DIII-D 89

JET 89

DIII-D 90

TFTR 90

DIII–D 91 Q = 1 Non-Maxwellian

JT–60U 92

JET 88

DIII-D 89 DIII-D 89 JT–60U 92

TFTR 88

Confinement Quality

(Number of particles per cubic meter confined for one second)

10¹⁸ 10¹⁹ 10²⁰ 10²¹

Ion Temperature (M ˚C) 400

300

200

100

0 500

JET 91 DT JET 91 JT–60U 92

TFTR 92

ne(0) τ_E ^{(m–3 s)}

DIII–D 93

JT–60U 93

TFTR 93 DT Fusion Process

Demonstrated Q = 1

Fusion as an Electrical

Source Q = ∞

PLT PDX JET

Princeton Large Tokamak Princeton Divertor Experiment Joint European Torus

TFTR ALCATOR C ITER

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Massachusetts Institute of Technology

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

TFTR FUSION POWER

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

ALCATOR C PLT

DIII TFTR

JET / TFTR

ITER

Achieved (DD) Achieved (DT) Projected (DT) 1,000

100 10 1000 100 10 1000 100 10 1

PDX DIII-D

MW_th

kW_th

W_th

JET

JT–60U

LIGHT BULB HOUSE POWER PLANT

What Progress Has Been Made What Progress Has Been Made

in Magnetic Fusion?

in Magnetic Fusion?

World Energy Resources Indicate New World Energy Resources Indicate New Sources of Clean Energy Must be Found Sources of Clean Energy Must be Found

ANNUAL USE 0.3 Q/year ANNUAL USE 0.3 Q/year

Oil Fossil Uranium Lithium Deuterium Deuterium

13 80 9,000 7,600 16,000,000 16,000,000

In units of Q or 10

BTU