Fusion on the Horizon
In the continuous pursuit of a truly renewable and clean energy source, nothing compares to nuclear fusion. Although scientists have already found ways to harness the energy from the reaction that powers stars, it hasn't been an easy feat. Despite the advances in research pertaining to nuclear fusion, there still isn't a stable — not to mention cost-efficient — way to power the electric grid with it.
According to the head of MIT's Alcator C-Mod tokamak fusion project Earl Marmar, we may not have to wait long. Speaking to Inverse, Marmar said that we could potentially have nuclear fusion powering electric grids by the 2030s — that is, if we're dedicated to continued research. “I think fusion energy on the grid by 2030 is certainly within reach by this point,” Marmar said. “2030 is probably aggressive, but I don’t think it’s wildly out of range.” This would be a timetable similar to what a Canadian collective is currently working towards.
The physics of nuclear fusion is actually something we understand pretty well at this point and it isn't too hard to explain. At the most basic level, it's the reverse of nuclear fission. In other words, instead of splitting atoms to release energy in fission, nuclear fusion combines small hydrogen atoms into a plasma that produces energy. In fact, that plasma produces several times more energy than what fission produces. This can't just happen anywhere, though: it requires an environment with temperatures over 30 million degrees Celsius.
Tinkering with Technology
MIT's tokamak reactor — named for its donut-shaped chamber — is no longer active. But, its more than 20 years of experience in fusion technology has left us with enough data to figure out how to sustain fusion reaction. That's what we still don't understand about using fusion: not knowing how to sustain is the only thing holding us back, according to Marmar. “So we know that fusion works; we know that the nuclear physics works. There are no questions from the nuclear physics,” he explained. “There are questions left on the technology side.”
There have been solutions proposed to to stabilize nuclear fusion, many of which are currently in the works. Marmar mentioned two of them in his interview: Tokamak Energy in the U.K. opted to decrease the size of the donut hole in their reactor to harness more plasma. The other effort comes from MIT where researchers have been working on increasing the strength of the magnetic field that sustains the plasma. An international effort funded by 35 countries is also working on ITER, the world's largest fusion experiment.
For Marmar, the pressure exists even outside the reactors. “We need to get going, because the need for fusion energy is very urgent, specifically in view of climate change,” he told Inverse. He thinks there's still room to push nuclear fusion further — and if we don't at least try, it could delay progress by another decade. Marmar does concede that even if there's committed research, the 2030s still could be a fairly aggressive timeline to adhere to. Of course, a little pressure and healthy competition to meet a deadline might be just the motivation that's needed.
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Katika harakati ya kuendelea ya kupata chanzo cha nishati safi na cha upya, hakuna kitu kinachoweza kulinganishwa na fusion ya nyuklia. Ingawa wanasayansi wamepata njia za kuunganisha nishati ya nyota, bado haikuwa rahisi. Licha ya maendeleo katika utafiti unaohusiana na fusion ya nyuklia, bado hakuna njia thabiti - bila kutaja gharama nafuu - ya kuendesha mtandao wa umeme nayo. Kulingana na mkuu wa mradi wa mchanganyiko wa tokamak wa Alcator C-Mod wa MIT, Earl Marmar, huenda tusilazimike kusubiri kwa muda mrefu. "Mwanamkubwa huyo wa Marekani, Marmar, amesema kuwa ""tunaweza kuwa na nyuklia ya fusion inayowezesha mitandao ya umeme kufikia miaka ya 2030"" ikiwa tutaendelea kufanya utafiti." "Nafikiri nishati ya fusion kwenye gridi ifikapo 2030 ni hakika ndani ya kufikia kwa hatua hii, ""Marmara alisema." "2030 ni uwezekano wa kuwa mkali, lakini sidhani kama ni nje ya kiwango. ""Hii itakuwa ratiba sawa na kile ambacho kikundi cha Canada kinafanya kazi kwa sasa." "Kama ni kweli, ""fisi"" ya nyuklia ni kitu ambacho sisi kuelewa vizuri sana katika hatua hii na si vigumu sana kueleza." Katika kiwango cha msingi zaidi, ni kinyume cha fission ya nyuklia. Kwa maneno mengine, badala ya kugawanya atomu ili kutoa nishati katika fission, fusion ya nyuklia huunganisha atomu ndogo za hidrojeni katika plasma ambayo hutokeza nishati. Kwa kweli, plasma hiyo hutokeza nishati nyingi mara kadhaa kuliko ile inayotokezwa na fission. Hii haiwezekani kwa kila mahali, ingawa inahitaji mazingira yenye joto zaidi ya digrii milioni 30. Tinkering na Teknolojia MIT ya tokamak reactor <unk> jina kwa ajili ya donut-umbo chumba <unk> ni tena hai. Lakini, uzoefu wake wa zaidi ya miaka 20 katika teknolojia ya fusion imetuacha na data ya kutosha kujua jinsi ya kudumisha athari ya fusion. "Hiyo ndiyo ambayo bado hatuelewi kuhusu kutumia fusion: kutokujua jinsi ya kudumisha ni kitu pekee kinachotuzuia, kulingana na Marmar.""" <unk>Kwa hiyo tunajua kwamba fusion inafanya kazi; tunajua kwamba fizikia ya nyuklia inafanya kazi. Hakuna maswali kutoka fizikia ya nyuklia, <unk> alielezea. <unk>Kuna maswali kushoto juu ya upande wa teknolojia.<unk> Kumekuwa na ufumbuzi mapendekezo ya kuimarisha fusion nyuklia, wengi ambao kwa sasa ni katika kazi. "Mwanzoni mwa wiki hii, kampuni ya nishati ya Tokamak nchini Uingereza ilitangaza kuwa imepanga kupunguza ""shimo la donati"" katika kiwanda cha kutengeneza nishati ya nyuklia." Utafiti huo unafanywa na MIT, ambayo inashughulikia utafiti wa kuongeza nguvu ya uwanja wa sumaku unaohifadhi plasma. Jitihada za kimataifa zinazofadhiliwa na nchi 35 pia zinafanya kazi kwenye ITER, jaribio kubwa zaidi la fusion ulimwenguni. Kwa Marmar, shinikizo lipo hata nje ya mitambo. "Tunahitaji kuanza, kwa sababu haja ya nishati ya fusion ni ya haraka sana, haswa kwa kuzingatia mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa", aliambia Inverse. Yeye anafikiri bado kuna nafasi ya kusukuma fusion nyuklia zaidi <unk> na kama sisi si angalau kujaribu, inaweza kuchelewesha maendeleo kwa muongo mwingine. "Marmar anasema ""hata kama kuna utafiti uliofanywa, miaka ya 2030 bado inaweza kuwa muda mkali sana kufuata.""" Bila shaka, mkazo kidogo na ushindani mzuri wa kufikia tarehe ya mwisho wa kazi inaweza kuwa kichocheo kinachohitajika. Shiriki Makala Hii