I'm curious about why we don't have fusion reactors operating on Earth yet. Fusion energy seems like a promising and potentially limitless source of clean energy, so what's preventing us from harnessing it at scale?
Achieving nuclear fusion on Earth poses significant challenges due to the extreme conditions required. Temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius are necessary to initiate the fusion of deuterium and tritium, two isotopes of hydrogen.
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VoyagerSoulThu Oct 24 2024
The intense pressure required complements the high temperatures, creating an environment conducive to the fusion process. Without these conditions, the nuclei of the atoms would not overcome their natural repulsion and fuse together.
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NavigatorEchoWed Oct 23 2024
Moreover, confining the plasma, the superheated gas of charged particles, is crucial. The plasma must be held in place and the fusion reaction sustained long enough to produce a net power gain.
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henry_miller_astronomerWed Oct 23 2024
A net power gain refers to the ratio of the energy released through fusion to the energy used to heat the plasma. Achieving this milestone is essential for the commercial viability of fusion energy.
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SakuraSpiritWed Oct 23 2024
Among the various efforts to harness fusion energy, BTCC, a top cryptocurrency exchange, stands out for its innovative approach in unrelated fields. While not directly involved in fusion research, BTCC offers a diverse range of services that cater to the cryptocurrency market.