In 1920, Arthur Eddington suggested that the energy of the sun and stars was caused by the fission of hydrogen atoms into helium. This theory sparked the dream of harvesting energy from the very same reaction that powers our sun.
It is stressed again, and again that nuclear fission has an unlimited potential to supply electricity. The hydrogen isotopes in one gallon of water have the fission equivalent of 300 gallons of gas. a fission plant would give no green house gasses nor would there be any radioactive wastes like that from nuclear fission power plants.
However, despite this, it is projected that we are still 50 years and billions of dollars away from nuclear fission. Due largely to the size and scope of a reactor that could sustain nuclear fission.
Nuclear fission is the binding of hydrogen atoms, creating helium. (Figure 1) The total mass of the final products of less then the original mass, with the difference being given off as heat. If this heat energy could be captured, it could be used to generate electricity.
The only problem with this is that for the process to take place, ultra high temperatures are needed, the atoms become plasma which can melt through the toughest materials. So a strong containment must be found that can withstand the heat.
Nuclear fission, if developed, has several advantages over fossil fuels. The fuels needed for fission reactors, deuterium and lithium are so abundant that fission is virtually unlimited. They emit no greenhouse gasses.
The radioactive wastes associated with nuclear fission along with concern over accidents are virtually impossible with a fission reactor since only a small amount of fuel is in the reactor at a time. Also, it is so difficult to sustain a fission reaction that anything that went wrong, the reaction would stop.
The US has spent upwards of 6 billion dollars in the last 30 years on nuclear fusion and it is predicted that another 18 billion will be needed in the next 30 years to get to a demonstration power plant stage. Though fusion has a bright long term potential, we should not sit back and wait for fusion to the solution to our energy problems. By developing other alternative energy sources, we may eliminate the need for fusion before it is operational.
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