Nuclear fusion: Coming to a basement near you soon

[Sledgstone 8,672]

http://dvice.com/archives/2009/11/nuclear-fusion.php

Lawrenceville Plasma Physics Inc. debuted their Focus-Fusion-1 dense plasma focus research reactor in mid-October, after nearly 8 years of research and building. In the blink of an eye, this freezer-sized nuclear fusion demo machine can push more than 100 gigawatts of power through a space smaller than a pin point. By comparison, the entire U.S. uses about 430 gigawatts of electricity every hour.

Unlike standard nuclear fission — which involves bombarding a fuel, like plutonium or uranium, with neutrons to break it up into isotopes and releasing massive amounts of energy — the Focus-Fusion-1 bombards boron atoms with neutrons, turning it into helium and even more massive amounts of energy.

Then there's the price. A new nuclear fission plant costs billions, and requires a community willing to have one. Focus-Fusion-1 costs several hundred thousand dollars, and could shrink the land footprint of typical power plants from acres to basement-water-heater-size, while reducing the cost of electricity to 1/10th of our cheapest available power today.

And the end-products are way better. While the waste from fission will make the lab techs glow in the dark and die horrible deaths if exposed, Focus-Fusion-1's waste products will just make them talk funny.

Via FocusFusion.org and Lawrenceville Plasma Physics Inc.

I can't wait until this is a fully viable energy solution. If they can condense down a fusion reactor to a smaller size, everyone could have their own power source for their houses or even their cars. Could you imagine never having to fill up a gas tank or recharge a battery again? I wouldn't be surprised if car companies are working on electric only cars just for the day when small fusion engines are made. Once that happens all the car companies with electric cars will be able to just drop the new reactor engine in and they'll be good to go.. and all the car companies with only gas or flex fuel engines will struggle their asses off to catch up.

[Myk JL 1,731]

OOH! Can they have one power a Mobile Suit?!!

[Ladywriter 7,783]

sweeeet

[Pchan 5,162]

*thinks of devious things*

[Sledgstone 8,672]

OOH! Can they have one power a Mobile Suit?!!

That would be ideal.