Posted on 08/11/2015 4:51:14 PM PDT by BenLurkin
The era of true nuclear fusion may be fast approaching thanks to some cutting-edge work from MIT. While fusion has been demonstrated before, it's always used more energy than it's created. But finding a new way to apply a strong magnetic field to a prototype device, the MIT team has learned how to better contain super-hot plasma, and that's a step towards practical application.
...
The magnets used here are built from rare-earth barium copper oxide, a superconductor material. By coiling a fusion device with the magnets, you can generate a strong magnetic field, and this particular material makes the fields stronger and minimizes the size of the equipment needed to generate them. The reactor core itself is nothing new, just a lightly modified tokamak fusion reactor design scaled down. By reducing the size, the team has a scale model to work with to help get them to that sweet spot where fusion produces more energy than it takes in.
(Excerpt) Read more at popularmechanics.com ...
“Super Strong Magnetic Fields” have ALWAYS been “the Key to Our Nuclear Fusion Future.”
And the questions has always been how to adequately generate them.
Me? I demand Super Duper Magnetic fields, or at least gardens.
Has remained elusive for many years, but at least the boffins keep trying.
Liquid Thorium Salt reactors are closer to reality by a few magnitudes than fusion.
And we will need Thorioum reactors to burn all the high level wast that previous fission reactors have generated
Well the goal is worth it, I think.
Although really, we could have worldwide safe nuke power now if we just shifted everything to 4th generation reactors.
And the questions has always been how to adequately generate them.
Super strong magnetic fields require super efficient superconductors.
“Super Strong Magnetic Fields” have ALWAYS been “the Key to Our Nuclear Fusion Future.”
And the questions has always been how to adequately generate them.
++++
LOL. That is so, so, so TRUE. In 30 more years they just may find that super-duper superconductor to build those super-duper magnets to constrain that duper-duper hot plasma.
If not, then another 30 years should do the trick.
Sheesh dude, how the hell would the elites fear monger us back and forth with energy issues with cheap power readily available???
And who controls the world supply of rare earth elements? Hint: It ain’t us.
Wow,,, this is like 1978 again. Magnetic field has always been there as how to contain it
Love the username, Paladin2... are you a D&D guy, or is that a reference to Charlemagne?
Sheesh dude, don't you see that that's why they haven't told us they solved the problem 50 years ago?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.