Fusion - Harnessing the power of the sun
The sun, over 10 million Celsius hot, keeps the earth alive with its steady release of energy generated by the fusion of atoms.
Harnessing the power of the sun by developing reliable fusion reactors is therefore seen by many as the holy grail of clean and safe energy production, because fusion:
- Virtually is an inexhaustible energy source
8) Fusion Technology
Fusion and global warming
1) Nuclear fusion takes place when Deuterium and Tritium (both isotopes of hydrogen) are forced together under very high temperatures and pressures.
2) A helium particle (also known as an alpha particle) is released together with a neutron and ENERGY.
3) The energy released can be used to drive steam turbines to generate electricity.
How does fusion work?
How do we get hold of Deuterium and Tritium?
Deuterium can be extracted from seawater, which makes it a very plentiful material.
Tritium can be produced within the reactor by making Lithium available. Lithium is a plentiful metal found in the soil.
- Does not produce any greenhouse gases, which can cause global warming and climate change
