İstanbul Gelisim Vocational School - myo@gelisim.edu.tr
Machinery
06 June 2023 Tuesday
A Giant Step In Fusion
Since energy is something that will always be needed, it is constantly working on it. The question of how cleaner and larger energies can be obtained from energy sources is constantly growing. The most important researches of recent years are on fusion energy when we look at the scientific world. They have achieved very important gains with this research. The importance of this situation is very great for humanity because, with fusion, an energy close to limitless will be obtained.
When it comes to nuclear energy, the first thing that comes to mind is the reactions that take place in the Sun's core. If fusion energy is used, there will be a much more environmentally friendly world life, since no greenhouse gas emissions or long-term radioactive wastes are produced. In the world of science, this goal is always a priority.
Although everything seems positive, there are great obstacles in front of us to obtain fusion energy. Some of these are high temperature, high pressure, and instability. Of course, there are high costs to overcome these problems. Considering all these, it is not possible at this stage to continuously obtain more than the energy required to create the fusion.
Another important threshold has been crossed in a new study. Researchers working on a very small reactor have reached very high temperatures.
Different reactors have been found and tried so far to produce fusion. Tokamak-based ones are one of them. Tokamak-based reactors work with the magnetic confinement method. The main goal here is to ensure the stability of the plasma formed as a result of fusion and to make it sustainable. Of course, high temperatures occur in this.
In a joint study by researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), and Tokamak Energy, they managed to reach the required temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius. To this end, they used a unique little fusion device they called the ST40.
Looking at the results, it is necessary to have hope. Further studies will lead to more economical and environmentally sound fusion energy solutions.
