Hatrack River Forum: International Fusion Reactor Project

This is topic International Fusion Reactor Project in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :

A few weeks ago a heard an interview with one of the project administrators for the next big step in developing fusion power as a viable electricity source. With the talk here lately about gas prices and alternate energy sources I thought I'd go dig up some information.

The official ITER project website.

As I understand it, there is already at least one working experimental fusion reactor in the EU, but ITER will be the first one large enough that the energy output exceeds the energy input required to get the reaction going. So it should have an "energy profit" but is still considered more of a research step than an actual commercial venture of it's own.

Any of the resident science fans following this at all? Will the international cooperation and funding stay going long enough to make fussion a viable energy alternative? Doesn't "superheated plasma torus" just sound really cool?

--Enigmatic

Posted by human_2.0 (Member # 6006) on :

I'm still betting on cold fusion...

ok, maybe not
[Roll Eyes]

Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :

Go fusion!

Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :

Hm. That's pretty cool! [Cool]

Posted by Jim-Me (Member # 6426) on :

Superheated Plasma torus does indeed sound really cool...

I wasn't aware that they were this close to producing an energy surplus...

if they do, we have some serious good news.