The latest on fusion power, via S. Korea and New Jersey!

Discussion in 'Science and Technology' started by RAMA, Jan 22, 2013.

  1. RAMA

    RAMA Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 1999
    Location:
    USA
  2. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2008
    Location:
    Just around the bend.
    No mention of New Jersey in the article? Besides, hopefully Polywell fusion reactors will be a dime a dozen by 2030.
     
  3. Gov Kodos

    Gov Kodos Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2004
    Location:
    Gov Kodos on Mohammed's Radio, WZVN Boston
    Just check out Yoyodyne Industries...
     
  4. Psion

    Psion Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2001
    Location:
    Lat: 40.1630936 Lon: -75.1183777
    The article mentions that this is a collaboration between South Korea and the Plasma Physics Laboratory in Princeton, NJ.
     
  5. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2008
    Location:
    Just around the bend.
    Ah, missed that.
     
  6. DarthTom

    DarthTom Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2005
    Location:
    Atlanta, Georgia
    This is exciting stuff. What is sad but true in the US because of regulations and the general populations paranoia about nuclear power is that no state/community/town would agree to license such a facility in the US. The US public is weary of nuclear let alone experimental nuclear power. It would never happen here for the foreseeable future.
     
  7. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2008
    Location:
    Just around the bend.
    I think you give people too little credit. Most people that fear "nuclear" tend to know that it's fission, not fusion that they fear. Fusion has too often in media been portrayed as the "miracle cure" for energy scarcity to be lumped in with "nuclear" fears.
     
  8. DarthTom

    DarthTom Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2005
    Location:
    Atlanta, Georgia
    I think if you ask your average high school graduate who hasn't had a day of higher education the difference between fission and fusion nuclear technology you'd be surprised how few people know or even have a modicum of understanding on the differences.

    People in the US are afraid of nuclear nuclear technology - shit even the insurance industry in the US is afraid of it because the only way new nuclear power plants get built is if the US government takes a portion of the liability in case of an accident.
     
  9. Psion

    Psion Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2001
    Location:
    Lat: 40.1630936 Lon: -75.1183777
    I'd like to believe that you are right, but I'll remind you of the tale of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
     
  10. FordSVT

    FordSVT Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2001
    Location:
    Atlantic Canada
    People are stupid enough to misunderstand nuclear fission, they'll be stupid enough to simply be told that there is no risk with fusion and to get on with their lives. Environmentalists will be on board with it, you're not going to have big lobbies against it, and insurance companies will actually understand the difference because contrary to popular belief they aren't morons and they will differentiate between a fission and a fusion reactor.
     
  11. tighr

    tighr Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2011
    Location:
    California
    Agreed. I think one of the main PR things that would help would simply be to never refer to fusion as a "nuclear" reaction. People already associate the term "nuclear power" with fission reactors, and that's where most of the fear comes from.

    Fusion has been portrayed on film/television as a miracle cure for the energy problem. Shoot, even Back to the Future features a compact fusion reactor on the back of the DeLorean.

    Fusion is quite simply a completely different process than fission.
     
  12. Metryq

    Metryq Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2013
    I can't tell you how many people I've encountered who believe microwave ovens and cell phones emit ionizing radiation. The same people will deny that insolation has the slightest thing to do with climate, while on the other hand believe that solar panels can power everything.
     
  13. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2008
    Location:
    Just around the bend.
    Maybe those people think you're saying insulation.
     
  14. Gary7

    Gary7 Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2007
    Location:
    ★•* The Paper Men *•★
    The problem with fusion isn't the danger of explosion, but the fact that there is still a lot of radioactive waste created that is not easily disposed of. Once nuclear physicists solve that problem, find a way to either neutralize the radiation or make it possible to reuse the fuel more than once (again, and again, and again...), nuclear fusion will indeed become the miracle power source we've been looking for. Passive means such as solar, thermal, wind, and hydro are all well and good, but still quite limited for widespread use.
     
  15. tighr

    tighr Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2011
    Location:
    California
    False, the byproducts of fusion are not any more radioactive than common everyday things found in nature (technically, everything is "radioactive"). The byproducts of fusion are all lighter than iron.

    That's primarily one of the reasons that fusion is considered safer than traditional nuclear fission; that, and the fact that there is the possibility for much higher energy outputs.
     
  16. Edit_XYZ

    Edit_XYZ Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2011
    Location:
    At star's end.
    Thorium fission also solves the problems of 'conventional uranium fission' (including the waste problem, use in making nuclear weapons, etc). And is doable today:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_fluoride_thorium_reactor
    Not that it matters, apparently.

    The fusion support group should be very careful with its PR; any technical explanation of even medium complexity will fly right over the head of most.
     
  17. RAMA

    RAMA Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 1999
    Location:
    USA
    Its the first paragraph
     
  18. Psion

    Psion Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2001
    Location:
    Lat: 40.1630936 Lon: -75.1183777
    Oy! Catch up ... I already busted Sojourner's stones for that days ago.

    :)
     
  19. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2008
    Location:
    Just around the bend.
    And they still hurt!
     
  20. Psion

    Psion Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2001
    Location:
    Lat: 40.1630936 Lon: -75.1183777
    Sorry, man. I'd offer to kiss them and make them better, but this isn't that kind of forum.