Fusion—commercially viable?

[HBS Guy]

Long derided as a prospect that is forever 30 years away, nuclear fusion seems finally to be approaching commercial viability. There are now more than 30 private fusion firms globally, according to an October survey by the Fusion Industry Association (FIA) in Washington DC, which represents companies in the sector; the 18 firms that have declared their funding say they have attracted more than US$2.4 billion in total, almost entirely from private investments (see ‘Fusion funding’). Key to these efforts are advances in materials research and computing that are enabling technologies other than the standard designs that national and international agencies have pursued for so long.

https://www.nature.com/immersive/d41586-021-03401-w/index.html

 

[Squire]

There is actually research in progress in Australia on nuclear fusion.

However, there is as yet no time scale for the development of a commercial reactor.

https://inis.iaea.org/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/29/016/29016318.pdf?r=1&r=1

"The fuels will be tested on various petawatt laser facilities around the world, as there are no such facilities in Australia".

https://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Australian-researchers-step-into-new-nuclear-techn

... Laser proton-boron fusion reactions are a radiation-free nuclear energy source, the researchers say, but have been limited by a low reaction rate due to a lack of efficient fuel materials. The project, which will be based at Deakin University's Institute for Frontier Materials in Geelong, aims to develop new fuel materials by synthesising boron-11 enriched hydrogen borides and hydrogen adsorbed boron nitride nanosheets. The expected outcomes of the research funded by the ARC grant include two new hydrogen storage nanomaterials, the associated new synthesis technologies and a clean and safe nuclear power source, which helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, HB11 said.

The fuels will be tested on various petawatt laser facilities around the world, as there are no such facilities in Australia, said HB11's Warren McKenzie, who is one of the project's chief investigators. Other collaborators come from the University of Rochester, University of Bordeaux, Queens University Belfast, University of Texas, UNSW and Macquarie University, he added. ...

 

[HBS Guy]

More on fusion—very exciting, hopefully achieved in my lifetime:

https://www.nature.com/immersive/d41586-021-03401-w/index.html

 

[Squire]

Only the Chinese are at the commercially viable stage.

 

[HBS Guy]

Well, I don’t expect it tomorrow. Be nice to see it become reality tho. Still be idiots only seeing “nuclear” but they won’t be a problem.

 

[Squire]

Interesting fact:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorium-based_nuclear_power

Comparing the amount of thorium needed with coal, Nobel laureate Carlo Rubbia of CERN, (European Organization for Nuclear Research), estimates that one ton of thorium can produce as much energy as 200 tons of uranium, or 3,500,000 tons of coal.

 

[HBS Guy]

Those figures don’t seem right. Still have the problems of waste too.

 

[Squire]

Those figures don’t seem right. Still have the problems of waste too.

Nobel laureate Carlo Rubbia of CERN, (European Organization for Nuclear Research) appears to be an eminent, authoritative source. If you have information that he has been misquoted, please elaborate.

Also keep in mind that Uranium goes through a refining process:

"... Low Enriched Uranium – contains a 235U concentration between 0.711 percent and 20 percent. Most commercial reactor fuel uses low enriched uranium (LEU) enriched to between 3 percent and 5 percent 235U. Uranium between 3 and 5 percent 235U is sometimes referred to as “reactor-grade uranium.” ... "

Nuclear Fuel Facts: Uranium | Department of Energy