The Next Stage of Fusion

I wish these writers would learn a little about what they are writing. Fusion has been accomplished plenty of times. There's even fusion bombs (H-Bomb). So it's a bit inaccurate to say "some people regard the developemtne of fusion .... as a pipe dream".

The problem is the containment of the Fusion reaction within a small space. Allowing the reaction to spread out allows it to die out. Very powerful magnetic fields are used but the problem of containment is nonlinear and will take time to perfect. Time and money actually, which has been a problem the last ten years. What need was there for Fusion when gas was $25 dollars a gallon? Now that its $60 dollars a gallon, there is renewed interest, but of course there has to be some ill conceived rationalization for why we don't have Fusion yet, so this myth that it cannot be achieved or has insurmountable technological issues has been thrown around as fact.

Meanwhile China is throwing themselves headfirst into Fusion research, participating in global arrangements like ITER and building their own reactors. In ten years they will have a sizeable lead in Fusion technology (think the early stages of the space race with the USSR). It's time we woke up and started putting some real money into this research. When you sit down and examine all the sources of power for the future, it becomes pretty apparent that Fusion is the best choice by far. No pollution, no greenhouse gases, power output that dwarfs everything else, including fission.

To coin a term "right on". We need basic research in all areas, but most of all in energy. Fusion is the way to go when we figure out the containment issues. Not if, when. This can and must be done. Our way of life, indeed, life on the planet is dependent the amount of energy created. This has been known for a long while. Keep up the buzz and thanks. BTW, you need a new gas station; mine only charges about $2.50 a gallon.

paul

You wrote: "BTW, you need a new gas station; mine only charges about $2.50 a gallon."

Whoops, I meant barrel, not gallon. It hasn't gotten that bad here yet.

According to a new "study" on google, it may reach that level in 2007. It seems the Oil Sheiks have discovered that inflated dollars chasing depleated oil is a bad deal, so lets save some for later at a higher price. More need for some reasonable alternative.

best wishes for the holiday seasone ( by whatever flavor)

paul

Meanwhile China is throwing themselves headfirst into Fusion research, participating in global arrangements like ITER and building their own reactors. In ten years they will have a sizeable lead in Fusion technology....................

Seeing the way China gets things done - their motto on TV is ........LETS DO IT........... and seeing the no fuss way they build multilane divided highways, train lines, 20 km tunnels through mountains, enormous Hydro schemes, space rockets, supersonic fighters and on and on - when you consider that just 50 or so years ago China hardly produced ANY steel at all, yet has now the largest steel works in the world and is now an exporter of steel, I think you will find that in 10 years China will have more than a sizeable lead, but actually have a fusion reactor producing electricity.

China's very sensible policy is COMPLETE INDEPENDANCE from all imported energy products, and apart from their unstated goal of overtaking the USA as the No 1 Economic power in the world and since the current Chinese Foreign Exchange reserves are about US$750 Billion while the USA is spending this sort of money annually on foreign wars, it seems fairly obvious who will finish up with the Fusion Medal.

This will make China increasingly independant on foreign oil imports while America will still be dependant on foreign oil, probably by then at US$100+ a barrel, then you may watch the Chinese dust disappearing into the future.

tch tch

.. i am quite appericiable about the point that u put about .. china n all that they r doing ni all acpects of life.. be it energy or RND ..but why u just forget INDIA as .......she will become the supream power with quality in hands.. as u know she has atramondous power in IT sector .. n grt in service sector...n is now becomming a grt global hub for manufacturing as it goes for quality n not for quantity like china .. as its goods r 2nd best after japan in quality wise .. be it electronic or software or elecrical or any other commmercial product ..

China is and will remain superior over India and pretty much everyone else. China is spending huge amounts of money on infrastructure and not so much on wars compared to the US. India spends too much money fighting with Pakistan. If only people realised how much better the global economy would be by simply fighting less. I am not a PEACE hippie but I say less money to the arms brokers and more power and money to the masses. India's infrastructure doesn't come close to China's. They both score well on innovation though. The really big question should be what happens when America cannot pay up?

hi mr. pink,yes china is in a allout rase to get at the confined fusion,first.the problens are again,magnetic confinement (currenty all 3 teslas you need 100. to get pure fusion )so you have to heat it with microwaves to get it hot,(currenty at 80 % affentcy)next problen is fuil ,( currenly only D, T, can work with the possiblitys of U ,Pt or T ,Pt. but with a high radioactive strallong.they will not succside due to the fact there is no futcher progtion and they do not incorperat the humen thouch into there indever.you sould get in contact with me if you want confined fusion.have you thouth how to extract the energe out of the plasm yet?