An interesting CGTN opinion piece by Djoomart Otorbaev, a former prime minister of Kyrgyzstan, reports on the absolute importance of developing nuclear fusion as an energy source for the future. Otorbaev also has a background in plasma physics, having been educated at the Lebedev Physical Institute of the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences. His Aug. 24 article was headlined “An Essential Step Towards Future Energy.” [https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-08-24/An-essential-step-towards-future-energy-12XLfYkKTU4/index.html]
“Although I have not worked in the field of plasma physics for a long time, I was delighted to learn that on Aug. 17 physicists had achieved a significant result in laser fusion research. At the enormous National Ignition Facility of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the U.S., having the size of three football fields, 192 super-powerful laser beams recreate temperature and pressure like those found in the cores of stars or inside exploding nuclear weapons. They focus a laser beam on a target creating a miniature human hair-sized ‘hot plasma’ beam that generates more than 10 quadrillion watts of thermonuclear energy in 100 trillionths of a second.
“In an experiment, a laser shot launched a controlled thermonuclear explosion. It produced eight times more energy than ever achieved—1.35 megajoules (MJ) of power, roughly equal to the kinetic energy of a car traveling at 160 kph, which was about 70% of the laser energy delivered to the target. Achieving ignition means obtaining a melting power of more than 1.9 MJ imposed by the laser. The laser pulse compressed the plasma to 100 times the density of lead and heated it to 100 million degrees Celsius, which is hotter than at the center of the Sun. These conditions help trigger thermonuclear fusion,” Otorbaev writes.
“Thousands of engineers and scientists have contributed to the design of ITER since the idea for an international joint experiment in fusion was first launched in 1985. The ITER Members— China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the U.S. are now engaged in a 35-year collaboration to build and operate the ITER experimental device and bring fusion to the point where the partners will have the actual demonstration fusion reactor.
“Converting the concept into an unlimited energy source will be a long process. It will require overcoming severe technical problems, such as recreating this experiment several times per second to obtain a permanent energy source.
“The latest news undoubtedly represents significant progress in understanding the fundamental properties of high-temperature plasma. But we shouldn’t delude ourselves yet. This exciting news does not indicate when and how scientists will receive the long-awaited unlimited energy source. Indeed, recent experiments have generated a significant amount of energy, but only for a short time. Scientists are confident that such experiments will generate even more power over more extended periods as yields increase. Humanity is on a straight path to the commercial production of unlimited amounts of electricity. The energy of the future will become unlimited and green.”
