Second time since its landmark fusion eventThe US National Ignition Facility, or NIF, has managed to squeeze enough energy from a capsule of diamonds and hydrogen in order to maintain the fusion process.
Although the technology is far from being able to produce a reliable source of energy that can sustain itself, this repeat achievement will undoubtedly provide important information on how the technology can be improved.
The NIF’s experimental Fusion program, based at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, near San Francisco uses some of the most powerful lasers in the world to force hydrogen into new configurations and leave spare energy.
The goal of many fusion innovators has been to get a surplus of energy. In order for fusion in magnetically contained whirlpools to occur, the swirling, charged maelstrom needs to be reduced. Toastier than the SunIt must first pay any additional money before it can be repaid.
The NIF uses 192 lasers to produce the same conditions. A tiny chamber, no larger than a thumbnail, is filled with hydrogen-isotopes. The isotopes’ nuclear particles can then rearrange into helium, if they have enough energy.
The first milestone – called ignition – occurs when the released energy is enough to sustain the fusion process.
In order to test if the NIF can achieve the same conditions as last December, they have stoked the fusion engines. Even more output can be achieved.
In a July 30 experiment, we repeated the ignition at NIF. The facility was announcedIn a recent Financial Times article.
We plan to report these results, as is our normal practice, at upcoming conferences and in peer reviewed publications.
Initial results suggest the total output was 3.5 megajoules – a fraction greater than the 3.15 MegajoulesReleased by the December ignition. The energy ‘profits’ from the lasers are impressive. They deliver a little over 2 megajoules. If you’re looking to boil some water, it will work.
The NIF technology is capable of producing fusion plants that are fully functional. However, this requires lasers to be up to 100x more powerful with pulses occurring several times per second.
To scale the technology up and light highways, run heat showers and run air conditioning for thousands of houses, it will take many more ignitions like this. Each one will reveal new methods to make the entire process more efficient.
Fusion powerTheoretically, if the goal of generating energy from easily harvested isotopes of hydrogen can be reached, virtually limitless amounts would be available, free of radioactive waste. FissionThe carbon-based fuels are also a significant source of greenhouse gasses.
Each step that brings us closer to this reality is something to be celebrated.
