Flight Service
Flight Service MegaDork
2/11/16 10:56 a.m.

That's HOT - China's nuclear fusion machine just smashed Germany's hydrogen plasma record

Sad thing is, we aren't in it.

Nuclear Fusion...and you guys were bitching about a catalytic converter.

petegossett
petegossett GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
2/11/16 2:55 p.m.

So, between the two articles you linked, it sounds like things are really getting hot & heavy in the physics lab.

novaderrik
novaderrik UltimaDork
2/11/16 6:19 p.m.

Have the created more energy than they put in yet? Or is that still 50 years away like it has been for the last 60 years?

mad_machine
mad_machine GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
2/11/16 6:45 p.m.

probably not yet.. but if they can get it stable for that 17 minutes or what have you, I bet they will.

Robbie
Robbie GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
2/11/16 9:11 p.m.
novaderrik wrote: Have the created more energy than they put in yet? Or is that still 50 years away like it has been for the last 60 years?

How long were we drilling for oil before we got enough out to overcome the energy needed to get it?

Not trying to be a smartass, I just thought we originally drilled for oil because it was convenient for storing/transporting energy (easier to use kerosene lamps than wooden torches), not necessarily because it was energy positive.

Flight Service
Flight Service MegaDork
2/11/16 9:47 p.m.

If the next run the Germans are prepping run 1000 minutes it is go time.e

Nick (LUCAS) Comstock
Nick (LUCAS) Comstock UltimaDork
2/11/16 9:52 p.m.

In reply to Flight Service:

And what does all this mean? I don't understand what they are trying to do.

4cylndrfury
4cylndrfury MegaDork
2/12/16 3:50 a.m.
Nick (LUCAS) Comstock wrote: And what does all this mean? I don't understand what they are trying to do.

Flight Service
Flight Service MegaDork
2/12/16 5:49 a.m.

Nuclear fision (spliting uranium atoms) is what we use now. We all understand why that is bad.

Nuclear fusion (merging hydrogen atoms) is how the Sun is powered. Hydrogen atoms combining in a REALLY hot reaction. The issue we used to have is getting it hot enough to happen. We have accomplished that a few years ago. Now we are trying to stabilize the reaction. If we can stabilize the reaction we have a heat source we can use to generate steam that can run a turbine to generate electricity.

Think all the benefits of a nuclear reactor without all the nasty and possible radioactive side effects including waste disposal. Pure, clean, energy.

BoostedBrandon
BoostedBrandon Dork
2/12/16 6:29 a.m.
Flight Service wrote: Nuclear fision (spliting uranium atoms) is what we use now. We all understand why that is bad. Nuclear fusion (merging hydrogen atoms) is how the Sun is powered. Hydrogen atoms combining in a REALLY hot reaction. The issue we used to have is getting it hot enough to happen. We have accomplished that a few years ago. Now we are trying to stabilize the reaction. If we can stabilize the reaction we have a heat source we can use to generate steam that can run a turbine to generate electricity. Think all the benefits of a nuclear reactor without all the nasty and possible radioactive side effects including waste disposal. Pure, clean, energy.

RossD
RossD UltimaDork
2/12/16 7:15 a.m.

Too bad we don't do fission like the French. http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-a-f/france.aspx

I think we signed a treaty or something that said we wouldn't recycle nuclear fuel akin to a process for making nuclear weapons. France did not.

GameboyRMH
GameboyRMH GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
2/12/16 7:32 a.m.
novaderrik wrote: Have the created more energy than they put in yet? Or is that still 50 years away like it has been for the last 60 years?

If you want fusion, you gotta pay for it:

The_Jed
The_Jed PowerDork
2/12/16 8:07 a.m.
Flight Service wrote: Nuclear fision (spliting uranium atoms) is what we use now. We all understand why that is bad. Nuclear fusion (merging hydrogen atoms) is how the Sun is powered. Hydrogen atoms combining in a REALLY hot reaction. The issue we used to have is getting it hot enough to happen. We have accomplished that a few years ago. Now we are trying to stabilize the reaction. If we can stabilize the reaction we have a heat source we can use to generate steam that can run a turbine to generate electricity. Think all the benefits of a nuclear reactor without all the nasty and possible radioactive side effects including waste disposal. Pure, clean, energy.

The last three words made this pop into my head:

Flight Service
Flight Service MegaDork
2/12/16 8:12 a.m.

In reply to GameboyRMH:

Maybe that is why the US isn't playing, we do other things with our money.

It is interesting to note the differential in temps, almost half between China and Germany. No one even mentions "cold fusion" anymore (observation, nothing really to do with anything here)

alfadriver
alfadriver MegaDork
2/12/16 10:56 a.m.

In reply to Flight Service:

Did you see the Time article recently about fusion? Companies are trying alternatives in terms of method and even materials. Lithium is one alternative material, and using a particle accelerator plus high energy plasma control is an alternate method.

Pretty interesting.

Karacticus
Karacticus GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
2/12/16 11:40 a.m.
The_Jed wrote:
Flight Service wrote: Nuclear fision (spliting uranium atoms) is what we use now. We all understand why that is bad. Nuclear fusion (merging hydrogen atoms) is how the Sun is powered. Hydrogen atoms combining in a REALLY hot reaction. The issue we used to have is getting it hot enough to happen. We have accomplished that a few years ago. Now we are trying to stabilize the reaction. If we can stabilize the reaction we have a heat source we can use to generate steam that can run a turbine to generate electricity. Think all the benefits of a nuclear reactor without all the nasty and possible radioactive side effects including waste disposal. Pure, clean, energy.
The last three words made this pop into my head:

4cylndrfury
4cylndrfury MegaDork
2/12/16 1:16 p.m.
The_Jed wrote:
Flight Service wrote: Nuclear fision (spliting uranium atoms) is what we use now. We all understand why that is bad. Nuclear fusion (merging hydrogen atoms) is how the Sun is powered. Hydrogen atoms combining in a REALLY hot reaction. The issue we used to have is getting it hot enough to happen. We have accomplished that a few years ago. Now we are trying to stabilize the reaction. If we can stabilize the reaction we have a heat source we can use to generate steam that can run a turbine to generate electricity. Think all the benefits of a nuclear reactor without all the nasty and possible radioactive side effects including waste disposal. Pure, clean, energy.
The last three words made this pop into my head:

Every weekday, I get up at 4:15 am to get a workout and a shower in before I leave for work. I work out for between 25 and 35 minutes. I watch a movie on Netflix during that time. I pause it when Im done for the day, and pick it back up the next morning. I just got to the part in "The Saint" where Elisabeth Shue and Val Kilmer re-unite in the Russian hotel bar, and are scooped up by the police, and are now in the back of a panel van.

Nothing else to add to the thread, just thought I would share that tidbit. Carry on

Flight Service
Flight Service MegaDork
2/12/16 2:25 p.m.

In reply to alfadriver:

I haven't, I will look that up thanks.

Karacticus
Karacticus GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
2/12/16 2:44 p.m.

Lockheed Martin was on the cover of Aviation Week more than a year ago with a compact fusion program.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/compact-fusion.html

fifty
fifty HalfDork
2/12/16 6:11 p.m.
Flight Service wrote: In reply to GameboyRMH: Maybe that is why the US isn't playing, we do other things with our money.

The USA has a long standing agreement with China regarding nuclear research and development, specifically for power production and non-weapons stuff. We sell them equipment and provide the expertise. It's called the ABC Act, something like that. The President recently re-signed the Chinese agreement for another 30 years.

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