Fusion Power? Already?

[SamSpade]

I could barely believe this - and I still don't...

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-06/02/content_606707.htm

 

[vraiblonde]

The device will allow Chinese scientists involved in an international project to build a giant experimental fusion reactor in France to begin work before the latter is ready

Just in case it has a flaw

 

[jazz lady]

The reactor will emulate the fusion power of the Sun, harnessing the tremendous amounts of energy that are released when atoms fuse.

Inside the reactor, deuterium and tritium atoms will be forced together at a temperature of 100 million C, fuse and emit blasts of energy.

It will have fusion power of about 500 megawatts.

Wow, that is pretty amazing. I had no idea we were that close to making nuclear fusion reactors a reality.

Last month, the government reached an agreement with the European Union, the United States, Russia, Japan, India and South Korea, to build the multi-billion-dollar reactor to address the world's energy crisis and global warming.

It's nice to see countries working together for a change.

 

[Joewsesnica]

It's nice to see countries working together for a change. [/QUOTE]

 

[SamSpade]

I found an audio clip from NPR where other countries have set up another program called ITER - and as it so happens, they're building THEIR reactor in France, too.

I think part of it is because France (and Japan) already have a thriving nuclear power industry. They don't have the same paranoia about its use. It's under the auspices of the EU, the US, Russia, China, South Korea and Japan. It will have a similar power output - 500 megawatts - but it won't be online for like another 7 years. The clip said that the Princeton Tokamak was able to sustain fusion for about 6 seconds - the new one will go for as long as 400 seconds, but obviously it needs to go a lot longer than that to work.

The Chinese version is boasting that kind of output - by year's end.