MadSci Network: Physics
Query:

Re: Is any serious fusion research being done on a micro-reactor.

Date: Tue Apr 3 04:39:43 2001
Posted By: RAUL SANCHEZ, Staff, Physics, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Fisica
Area of science: Physics
ID: 985706657.Ph
Message:

Dear Lowell,

It is not true that most research on fusion is done on the military side... all magnetic confinement research, in which a plasma is confined and then heated inside a magnetic bottle produced by external coils, is done on National Labs. and Universities all over the world.

Regarding microreactors, I do not think people even consider that possibility at this moment. It is extremely difficult to reach the point in which energy can be obtained from this type of reactors, and we are still about 20-30 years away from that. The problem is the high temperatures neccesary to overcome the COulomb repulstion, which prevents the material from being contained in normal containers. Designing a magnetic container that can keep the plasma inside for a sufficiently long time is difficult enough.

For more info, you might consider visiting: http://FusEdWeb.pppl.gov or http://www.iter.org

Regards,
Raul Sanchez


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