US researchers with breakthrough in nuclear fusion: Our world could now change fundamentally
Created: 2022-12-13, 5:32 p.m
By: Marc Dimitriu
In this 2012 image provided by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a technician checks an optic in the preamplifier support structure at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California.
© Damien Jemison/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/AP/dpa
It is a first step towards climate-neutral energy production: US researchers have made a breakthrough in nuclear fusion.
Washington/Livermore – Scientists in the USA have made a historic breakthrough in the field of nuclear fusion.
For the first time, the fusion of atomic nuclei produced more energy than was consumed.
This was announced by US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in Washington on Tuesday.
"Put simply, this is one of the most impressive scientific achievements of the 21st century."
Nuclear fusion: New energy sources possible - they would be climate-neutral and safe
The results, obtained by a team of researchers at the state's National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, mark a milestone in the discovery of a new energy source.
In a few years, nuclear fusion could possibly be used to generate electricity in huge quantities in a climate-neutral and safe manner.
However, there is still a long way to go before mass production is possible due to the continuing major technical hurdles.
It is currently not a solution to defeat climate change.
Almost a year ago, advances in nuclear fusion were announced at the institute.
A research team reported in the journal Nature
earlier this year that ignition of the plasma was achieved
.
This ultimately results in the fusion reaction becoming self-sustaining.
In the nuclear fusion reactor, the fuel is in the form of plasma – this state of aggregation is created when a gas is extremely heated.
Nuclear Fusion: Atomic nuclei fuse and generate energy similar to the sun
Both nuclear power and nuclear fusion derive energy from the binding forces of atomic nuclei.
With nuclear power, however, large atoms are split, radioactive waste is produced, among other things, and there is a risk of serious accidents.
That is why Germany will phase out nuclear power in spring 2023, for example.
With nuclear fusion, on the other hand, small atomic nuclei are fused or fused into larger ones, the technology is considered clean and safe.
This form of energy generation is similar to what happens in stars like the sun.
For their experiments, the researchers in California used the world's most powerful laser system to convert tiny amounts of heavy and superheavy hydrogen (deuterium and tritium) into plasma at a temperature of around one million degrees.
Many laser beams heat up the inside of a container a few millimeters in size.
(md with dpa)
