Nuclear Fusion - Solution to the World's Energy Crisis

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    Nuclear Fusion:

    The Solution to the Worlds Energy Crisis

    Monday March 14, 2011

    Carolyn Labun, Ph.D

    Group Six Writers:

    Trevor Billows 68711084

    Lukas Rusak 77312098

    Reid Nielsen 53942090

    Heather Mallory 28578102

    Jered Lepp 87397107

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    Table of Contents

    List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ ivGlossary .......................................................................................................................................... vExecutive Summary ....................................................................................................................... viDiscussion Sections ........................................................................................................................ 1

    1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 12.0 The Origins of Nuclear Fusion .............................................................................................. 3

    2.1 Naturally Occurring Fusion ............................................................................................... 32.2 Other Uses of Fusion Reactions ........................................................................................ 4

    3.0 Current Production of Energy on Earth................................................................................. 53.1 Burning Coal...................................................................................................................... 53.2 Nuclear Fission .................................................................................................................. 53.3 Solar Energy ...................................................................................................................... 63.4 Finding a Better Method .................................................................................................... 7

    4.0 Atomic Process of Nuclear Fusion ........................................................................................ 84.1 How Fusion Works ............................................................................................................ 8

    4.1.1 Complexity..................................................................................................................8

    4.1.2 The Process.................................................................................................................84.1.3 Energy Release............................................................................................................8

    4.2 Fusion on Earth .................................................................................................................. 9

    4.2.1 Elements......................................................................................................................9

    4.2.2 Availability of Materials.............................................................................................9

    4.2.3 Experimental Procedure..............................................................................................9

    5.0 Fusion Challenges and Solutions ........................................................................................ 115.1 Achieving Star-like Conditions ....................................................................................... 115.2 Heat Containment/Management ...................................................................................... 11

    5.2.1 Magnets.....................................................................................................................11

    5.2.2 Modified Super Materials.......................................................................................12

    5.2.3 Blankets and Ceramic Coatings................................................................................12

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    5.3 Large Scale Experiment ................................................................................................... 136.0 Solving the Energy Need on Earth ...................................................................................... 14

    6.1 International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) ........................................... 146.2 Schedule of Construction ................................................................................................. 15

    7.0 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 16References ..................................................................................................................................... 17Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 19

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    List of Figures

    Figure 2.1: The process of nuclear fusion on the sun ..............................................................................................7

    Figure 3.1: Evolution of world coal estimates...............................................................................10

    Figure 4.1: Atomic nuclear fusion used for energy production.....................................................13

    Figure 4.2: A picture of the inside of the tokamak at Joint European Tours (JET).......................14

    Figure 5.1: Schematic of a tokamak magnetic fusion device........................................................17

    Figure 6.1: An aerial view of the ITER construction site in Cadarache, France...........................20

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    Glossary

    AntimatterRepresents the idea of antiparticle. Just as there is matter made up of particles there

    is antimatter made up of antiparticles (positron, and antihydrogen).

    DeuteriumA stable isotope of hydrogen containing one neutrons and one proton.

    ITERInternational Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is the leading research

    facility responsible for providing the newest knowledge into using fusion to produce energy.

    Nuclear fissionA nuclear reaction where the nucleus of an atom splits into two or more smaller

    nuclei or atomic particles; the reverse of nuclear fusion.

    Nuclear fusionA nuclear reaction where two or more nuclei join or fuse together to form a

    larger and heavier nucleus.

    NucleonA collective term for neutrons and protons.

    PlasmaA state of matter where the material is heated significantly and a portion of the

    particles become ionized. This separates electrons and positive ions.

    TritiumAn unstable isotope of hydrogen containing two neutrons and one proton.

    TokamakA device that employs a magnetic field to hold plasma in the shape of a torus.

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    Executive Summary

    One of the 14 grand engineering challenges of the 21st century is to provide energy through the

    use of nuclear fusion. The purpose of this research report is to show how nuclear fusion is

    leading the way as the worlds future energy source. The main points of this paper address: The

    Origins of Nuclear Fusion, Current Production of Energy on Earth, Atomic Process of Nuclear

    Fusion, Fusion Challenges and Solutions, and Solving the Energy Need on Earth. Nuclear fusion

    is a reaction found on our sun and has been the source of life on earth since the beginning of

    time. Nuclear fusion has been suggested, for over 60 years, as the worlds next future energy

    source. It is important to look into the current research and development of nuclear fusion to

    know what direction our world is headed. To quote Soviet fusion pioneer Lev Artsimovich,

    Fusion will be ready when society needs it, that time is now (Cleary, D. 2006).

    The Origins of nuclear fusion section focuses on fusion occurring on our sun and the uses of

    fusion reactions and discusses how the first use of a fusion reaction was found in the hydrogen

    bomb in 1952. The second section, Current Production of Energy on Earth, covers the current

    energy sources that our world relies on such as: coal, nuclear fission, solar energy, and future

    alternative energy sources. These energy sources are all well known with the possible exception

    of nuclear fission. Nuclear fission is the exact opposite of nuclear fusion where it gives off

    energy when the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller, lighter nuclei. The third section, Atomic

    Process of Nuclear Fusion, explains how fusion works and an overview of the fusion reaction.

    The fusion reaction may seem simple in theory, combining two small atoms, but in real life it

    takes an immense amount of energy to start the fusion reaction. This section is necessary to

    understand the basics of a fusion reaction. The fourth section, Fusion Challenges and Solutions,

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    outlines the challenges that scientists face when conducting a fusion reaction. The extreme

    temperature of a fusion reaction is a hard challenge to overcome; magnets, modified materials,

    liquid blankets, and ceramic coatings are all potential solutions to containing the heat and

    pressure of the reaction. The final section, Solving the Energy Need on Earth, outlines the next

    major step for nuclear fusion with the constructing an experimental reactor to test the nuclear

    fusion reaction process, start to finish. This experimental reactor, called the International

    Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, is being constructed to advance nuclear fusion research.

    After reading this report, it is recommended that nuclear fusion is supported by any means

    possible as it is our responsibility to not let this technology slip away. From a business point of

    view, buying stocks or investing in nuclear fusion is highly recommended. When fusion

    explodes as the number one renewable energy source of the world, fusion development

    companies stocks will rise exponentially and stock holders will be well rewarded.

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    Discussion Sections

    1.0IntroductionThis technical research report has been written in response to one of the 14 Grand Challenges for

    Engineering put forth by the National Academy of Engineering. The purpose of this report is to

    discuss the possibilities of fusion being the future in energy production. Nuclear Fusion: The

    Solution to the Worlds Energy Crisis will discuss the origin of nuclear fusion and how society

    has already used this technology. Furthermore it will go on to explain the different methods

    being used today to provide the world with energy. How and why nuclear fusion works will be

    discussed in detail as well as the challenges encountered when dealing with a process such as

    fusion. Suggestions as to a solution for this grand challenge of providing energy from fusion will

    be given and the current major research project underway will be discussed.

    In preparation for writing this report our research team was divided up and given positions such

    as project manager, lead researcher and editor. The team then divided up the main topics to be

    discussed and researched each specific topic individually. Many different tools were used to aid

    in the research portion of this technical report. As a team it was decided upon to try and use as

    many peer reviewed articles as possible as having at least two per section was one of the

    requirements. We found that the best places to find these peer reviewed articles were in

    databases such as Compendex and EBSCOhost and continued to rely on these two databases for

    a majority of the research period. In addition to Compendex and EBSCOhost various corporate

    and government websites were used to find specific information in regards to global energy

    consumption and construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.

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    The largest provider of energy in todays society is coal; it is not renewable and has a huge

    negative impact on the environment. With the coal reserves continuously declining and no major

    energy source to take its place it is imperative that a new way to provide a sustainable source of

    clean energy is needed. If scientists can successfully find a way to harness fusion energy, the

    world will be able to live without worrying about energy consumption for years to come.

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    2.0 The Origins of Nuclear Fusion

    When looking into nuclear fusion we must first look into where the idea first came from and

    where our early attempts to harness it were. Fusion existed in stars before anywhere else and the

    first time society tried to use it weapons were created to harm each other by harnessing the

    energy given off by the fusion reaction.

    2.1 Naturally Occurring Fusion

    The thought of fusion usually brings to mind the thought of the sun, our main heat source.

    It gives off immense amounts of heat and energy allowing us to be alive today on Earth.

    At the suns core it is 15,000,000 degrees Kelvin, that is hotter than anything we can even

    imagine (Grieb. C, 2006). These temperatures are only possible due to nuclear fusion of

    hydrogen atoms. The fusion process on the sun is shown as:

    . (1)

    The process is actually completed in three steps, the first happens when two hydrogen

    atoms combine together to form a deuterium atom (heavy hydrogen) (Manuel. O, 2009).

    Further, one deuterium atom combines with another hydrogen atom and becomes helium,

    two of these helium atoms can combine to become Helium 4 and when this happens they

    let out two hydrogen atoms. The process is shown in Figure 2.1. This allows the process

    to be able to be repeated because there is always hydrogen. The sun has an incredibly

    large mass of 1.98892 1030

    Kg which creates the huge amounts of pressure needed to

    start the fusion reaction. Once the reaction has started the amount of heat produced adds

    to the reaction and it becomes self-sustaining.

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    2.2 Other Uses of Fusion Reactions

    The atomic bomb (hydrogen bomb) was first thought of in the early 1940s. It was

    predicted that, one gram ofdeuterium atoms would release the energy equivalent of 150

    tons of TNT. (Tucker. J, 1996). When the concept finally became reality in 1952, a

    hydrogen bomb was let off that was equivalent to 10.4 megatons of TNT (Tucker J,

    1996). These early hydrogen bombs were actually a two stage design, the first being an

    atomic bomb detonating creating nuclear fission. Once there was enough heat it

    imploded a canister of liquid deuterium causing nuclear fusion and large amounts of

    energy to be released. The first hydrogen bomb, codenamed Mike, was 20 feet in length.

    These two examples are providing grounds for our future in harnessing the power of nuclear

    fusion for the good of humanity. Studying the sun has provided us with many answers about the

    process of nuclear fusion. The creation of the hydrogen bomb provided us with further

    understanding of nuclear fusion and the power that it can provide. Now all that is needed is to

    put nuclear fusion to good use.

    Figure 2.1: The process of nuclear fusion on the sun

    Note. From ScienceBlogs by Ethan Seigel (2010), retrieved from

    http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2010/09/the_new_nu_news.php

    http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2010/09/the_new_nu_news.phphttp://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2010/09/the_new_nu_news.php
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    3.0 Current Production of Energy on Earth

    How our society currently produces energy for the massive worldwide demand.

    3.1 Burning Coal

    With coal being one of the worlds most widely used energy resources it is pertinent to

    consider the ever decreasing amount of coal available for consumption as well as the

    negative effects this resource has on the planet. Currently coal accounts for 26.5% of the

    worlds prime energy sources. As of 2005, coal fired power plants accounted for over

    42% of the worlds electricity supply (Hk et al, 2010). Unfortunately, with this being

    said, these same power stations were responsible for 28% of the global carbon dioxide

    emissions (International Energy Agency, 2010). It is estimated by the Coal Industry

    Advisory Board, a sector of the International Energy Agency, that there were 909 billion

    tonnes of coal remaining for consumption in 2005. With a global consumption rate of

    approximately 6, 496, 334 thousand short tons of coal per year this resource is estimated

    to last 155 years (U.S. Department of Energy, 2009). Accounting for an annual growth

    rate of 5% this number drastically lowers to an astounding 45 years bringing us to the

    year 2051. By looking at figure 3.1 it is possible to see the declining trend of the worlds

    coal reserves. It becomes evident quite quickly that although this resource is well

    researched and widely used, the need for something with more production efficiency,

    sustainability, and a largely reduced environmental impact is fast approaching.

    3.2 Nuclear Fission

    Essentially being almost the exact opposite of nuclear fusion, nuclear fission requires the

    nucleus of an atom to split in to smaller, lighter nuclei. This nuclear reaction is an

    exothermic one which makes it possible to provide energy for both nuclear power and to

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    drive the explosions within nuclear weaponry. In 2005 nuclear power, generated from the

    process of nuclear fission, provided roughly 5.5% of the worlds energy. Given that this

    number is small in comparison to other forms of energy production one would think that

    the hazards and waste as a result of this process would be minimal as well. Unfortunately

    this is not the case. Only a small portion of a nuclear fuel rod is actually used in the

    production of nuclear power, the rest is high level waste that is stored away. Currently

    scientists do not have a method of recycling this waste and so it just sits in containers.

    With hazardous wastes being so high nuclear fission is not the ideal energy form of the

    future.

    3.3 Solar Energy

    Every year humans use approximately 4.6 x 1020 joules of energy. This same amount of

    energy can be provided by the sun alone in just one hour. Although these numbers pose

    solar energy to be an attractive form of renewable energy, harnessing and storing this

    energy brings life to a new challenge of converting this energy into a form that is useful

    to society. Once solar energy has been successfully converted into either electricity or

    heat it must be stored for time periods that are without daylight. The challenge of finding

    a cost effective way to store solar energy once it has been converted into electricity and

    heat has proved to be enough of a challenge that without a phenomenal leap in

    technology solar energy will continue to be a fill in for other energy sources that are

    more established and reliable (Crabtree, 2007).

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    3.4 Finding a Better Method

    Currently there are many projects underway around the world with the same common

    goal of obtaining more knowledge in various areas of energy production and finding a

    more sustainable energy resource for future generations. Perhaps one of the more notable

    and large scale operations currently underway is for the advancement of nuclear fusion.

    The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) based in Cadarache,

    France is currently under construction and will be the largest ever built thermonuclear

    reactor and is anticipated to make groundbreaking discoveries in the area of nuclear

    fusion. Without projects such as these which are dedicated to researching and advancing

    the worlds current lack of large scale alternative energy society will be faced with an

    impending energy crisis.

    Figure 3.1: Evolution of world coal estimates

    Note. From Global coal production outlooks based on a logistic model by M. Hk, W. Zittel,

    J. Schindler, & K. Aleklett, 2010, Fuel, 89(11), pp. 3546-3558. Copyright Elsevier.

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    4.0 Atomic Process of Nuclear Fusion

    Nuclear fusion at an atomic level is characterized below.

    4.1 How Fusion Works

    4.1.1 Complexity

    The process of nuclear fusion seems simple when looking at the reaction on

    paper; two smaller atoms are combined to produce one larger atom, a neutron and

    energy. However with deeper analysis of the conditions required for the reaction

    fusion is anything but simple.

    4.1.2 The Process

    The process requires two atoms nuclei to be brought extremely close together to

    fuse and create a single nucleus. An atoms nucleus (made up of protons and

    neutrons collectively called nucleons) has a positive charge due to the protons

    (Sciulli, 2001). These like charges repel each other and take a great deal of

    energy to overcome. However, in order to fuse the nuclei together this

    electrostatic force must be conquered. Once pushed close enough together the

    nuclear force (the force responsible for binding the nucleons together) prevails

    over the electrostatic repulsion allowing the nuclei to attract one another and fuse.

    4.1.3 Energy Release

    When bonds are formed between nucleons significant amounts of energy is

    released. The mass of the final nucleus is actually lighter than that of the

    individual nucleons involved and by Einsteins famous formula (E=mc2) this

    mass is converted to excess energy and huge amounts of it (Lange, 2001). This

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    leads to significant more energy than chemical reactions and nuclear fusion is

    second to only converting mass directly to energy (colliding matter and

    antimatter) in terms of producing energy per unit mass. The release of this

    energy draws interest in the hopes of gathering it.

    4.2 Fusion on Earth

    4.2.1 Elements

    Research has led to significant breakthroughs using nuclear fusion as a method to

    produce energy. The most efficient method on Earth has come from using a

    deuterium (2H, hydrogen with a neutron) and tritium (

    3H, hydrogen with two

    extra neutrons) as fuel producing helium, a neutron, and energy (17.6 MeV)

    (Smith & Ward, 2007). This is the most efficient method for a laboratory process

    and is demonstrated in Figure 4.1.

    4.2.2 Availability of Materials

    Deuterium and tritium are both readily available on Earth. Deuterium is a

    radioactive isotope but can easily be fabricated from water which is abundant

    enough. Tritium is rare in nature but with a simple nuclear reaction from lithium,

    also abundant, is practically endless in supply.

    4.2.3 Experimental Procedure

    The fuels are heated to 100,000,000 degrees Celsius, ten times hotter than the sun,

    to form plasma. When a gas forms plasma, electrons become delocalized from

    the atoms and the plasma becomes electrically charged. A tokamak (a device

    that uses a magnetic field produced by electromagnets to hold plasma in a torus

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    shape, see Figure 4.2) is used to house the reaction and harvest the energy

    produced (Smith & Ward, 2005). Once started the process will be practically self

    sustaining which allows the new technology to produce greater than break-even

    energy output. The helium atom remains at a high temperature with energy and

    electrically charged therefore stays in the plasma to maintain the process. Another

    80 percent of the energy produced is received by the walls of the tokamak from a

    neutron that escapes the magnetic field due to its neutral charge.

    Figure 4.1: Atomic nuclear fusion used for energy production

    Note. From Nuclear Fusion, Retrieved fromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusion, 10

    March 2011

    Figure 4.2: A picture of the inside of the tokamak at Joint European Tours (JET)

    Note. From Nuclear fusion power: A bright long-term future by C.L. Smith & D. Ward, 2005,

    Proceedings of the ICECivil Engineering, 158(6) pp. 59-63. Retrieved from

    http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/content/article/10.1680/cien.2005.158.6.59

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusionhttp://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/content/article/10.1680/cien.2005.158.6.59http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/content/article/10.1680/cien.2005.158.6.59http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/content/article/10.1680/cien.2005.158.6.59http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusion
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    5.0 Fusion Challenges and Solutions

    In all designs there are challenges and problems that have to be addressed in order for the design

    to be successful. If there were no problems to overcome there would be no need reason for one to

    construct a design that overcomes challenges. The reason for failure of any design is due to the

    fact that certain problems were not approached and were not dealt with, at worst simply ignored.

    Nuclear fusion faces its own challenges; these challenges are discussed below.

    5.1 Achieving Star-like Conditions

    Nuclear fusion requires immense amount of heat for the reaction to take place. Temperatures

    surrounding the plasma have to replicate the conditions found on our sun; extreme temperatures

    of 100 million degrees Kelvin must be achieved. Current technology has allowed scientists to

    achieve these extreme temperatures by combining chain heating procedures such as: Ohmic

    heating (electrical current applied through plasma), concentrated laser beams, and microwave

    heating (Lee, 2010).

    5.2 Heat Containment/Management

    One of the main challenges faced in a feasible fusion method is the ability to contain heat,

    pressure, and energy of the reaction; this task can appear impossible with temperatures of

    100,000,000 degrees Kelvin. In order to handle this problem scientists have employed certain

    tactics such as: superconducting magnets, modified materials, blankets, and ceramic coatings.

    5.2.1 Magnets

    Tokamak fusion reactors use an approach of magnetic confinement to carry out the

    nuclear fusion process. The Tokamak magnetic fusion device, seen in Figure 1 below,

    uses coils wrapped around a circular tube that is evacuated and filled with plasma

    (deuterium and tritium fuel). The coils create a magnetic field around the metal walled

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    tube which prevents the plasma inside from touching the inner walls. The major

    challenge faced is creating a magnetic field that is capable of producing values of 10

    teslas (Fowler, 1989).

    5.2.2 Modified Super Materials

    The materials of a fusion reactor are subjected to thermal, mechanical, chemical,

    and radiation loads during reactor operation (Sahin et al, 2008). This being said,

    the correct material must be capable of handling extreme conditions, be fairly

    inexpensive, and provide a long service life. Austenitic stainless steels, as stated

    in the Journal of Fusion Energy, have been chosen as the main structure for

    ITER due to their excellent manufacturability, adequate mechanical properties,

    and corrosion resistance (Sahin et al, 2008).

    5.2.3 Blankets and Ceramic Coatings

    Liquid based blankets are very crucial for a fusion reactor as they absorb heat,

    prevent radiation escape, and absorb tritium (reusable fuel used in the fusion

    reactor) given off from the fusion reaction. Liquid blankets surround the fusion

    reactor and can be combined with ceramic coatings to provide excellent

    containment(Mota, 2011). A ceramic coating made up of 30% SiO2 and 70%

    Cr2O3 has proven to effectively reduce permeable radiation to the outside world.

    The benefit of the coating is that it can be applied to vulnerable materials in and

    around the reactor at a very low cost and high efficiency (Takayuki, 1997).

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    5.3 Large Scale Experiment

    The final challenge of fusion requires that all the research knowledge gained to this day

    be incorporated into one large scale experiment. This task is currently in the works at a

    cost of roughly 16 billion pounds and 10 years of construction to build a test facility

    called the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.

    Figure 5.1: Schematic of a tokamak magnetic fusion device

    Note. From Nuclear Fusion by T.K. Fowler (1989),IEEE Potentials vol.8, pp 7-10. Copyright

    1989 by IEEE

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    6.0 Solving the Energy Need on Earth

    The goals of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) will be outlined

    below.

    6.1 International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)

    The ITER complex is an experimental facility being constructed in Southern France on a

    90 hectare piece of land, see Figure 5.1. It is being designed to draw the information

    necessary to build a commercial fusion power plant. In this experiment physicists will

    analyze plasma in the simulated conditions in order to see what is expected from a larger,

    future power plant. The ITER power plant will be the first facility to produce net power

    from fusion. This means it will at least be able to dispense as much energy as is put into it

    (Ikeda, 2010). Power plants up until this period, specifically the Joint European Torus

    (JET) have only produced a maximum of 70% output energy compared to input. The

    ITER facility once fully running is expected to have a 1000% output rate. This breaks all

    previous hypotheses that energy cannot be created, therefore this experiment will provide

    mankind with a revolutionary future. For example, by putting in 50MW of energy, the

    ITER is speculated to output 500MW of energy. These profound advances in supplying

    energy will essentially provide an unlimited source of energy for the years to come.

    Subsequent to the research performed at ITER, a full-scale fusion plant will be developed

    called DEMO, basing itself on the results from ITER. This plant is expected to contribute

    between 2 and 4 gigawatts of power into the commercial grid (Rebut, 1995). The

    futuristic plant will exceed the 10 times output and provide the world with an incredible

    amount of energy compared to the little energy that will need to be input.

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    6.2 Schedule of Construction

    As the ITER facility is currently being built, there is still a short wait for mankind before

    they can fully delve into the mysteries of fusion. At this point in time the main apparatus

    for fusion to be carried out is being constructed. The seven main countries working on

    this project are fabricating this device called a tokamak: China, Europe, India, Japan,

    Korea, Russia, and the USA. This year, 2011, the facility to hold the tokamak is being

    constructed and by 2015 the assembly of the tokamak itself will begin. The engineers

    working on this major project are aiming to have construction complete by 2018 in time

    for what is hoped to be the first acquired plasma in November of 2019 (ITER, 2011).

    This being a groundbreaking event for science, and even mankind, analysis of the plasma

    will be carried out for several years until 2026 when the deuterium-tritium operation will

    commence. Preceding the deuterium-tritium operations, the ITER complex will create

    energy and draw data for the future DEMO project until 2038 when it will come to a

    close. Upon the closing years of ITER, DEMO will be constructed and is speculated to

    begin supplying the global power grid with energy by the year 2040 and onwards (EC,

    2010).

    Figure 6.1: An aerial view of the ITER construction site in Cadarache, France

    Note. From CERN Document Server by Agence ITER France (2009),

    http://cdsweb.cern.ch/record/1209650, Copyright 2009 by Agence ITER France/Vision du Ciel

    http://cdsweb.cern.ch/record/1209650http://cdsweb.cern.ch/record/1209650
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    7.0 Conclusion

    We were able to successfully answer our grand engineering challenge of Providing Energy from

    Fusion. With individual topics such as the origins of fusion power, current production of energy

    on earth, the atomic process, challenges of fusion, and solving the energy need on earth, the

    scope of our research covers all necessary approaches to answer this problem. After researching

    into our topic we were able to come to the conclusion that fusion is not only a feasible energy

    source, but the best choice against all alternatives.

    With all the energy that we consume each day, we must find an alternative energy source. After

    looking into the background of fusion energy we are able to see why it is the best choice

    available. Other methods such as coal and solar power have many downsides that dont allow

    them to be successful in our future. Fusion energy is a sustainable energy source that will be able

    to supply us with power into the foreseeable future. Being a clean source of energy there is no

    drawbacks to the environment. Currently the first fusion power plant is under construction and it

    will be operational in 2019. ITER will prove to the rest of the world that fusion energy is both

    environmentally friendly and efficient as a power source.

    Recommending fusionpower is impossible as it isnt available yet. Furthermore, we do

    recommend that people become more aware about fusion power and all the benefits it provides.

    Fusion will be our leading energy source in the near future.

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    Appendix

    Figure 3.1: Evolution of World Coal Estimates

    . (1)