Nuclear fusion technology has constantly been debated with regards to its application as a power source. Being both a clean and powerful energy source, this type of power has massive potential within the context of an energy-hungry world which is also trying to prevent irreversible damage resulting from climate change due to our overuse of fossil fuels. China is currently on its way to putting this power source into practice as a new facility currently under construction.
Nuclear fusion technology: How does it work?
Nuclear fusion technology refers to the process of combining two nuclei to form a larger one. This is not to be confused with nuclear fission technology, which refers to the splitting of a nucleus into smaller nuclei. While nuclear fusion technology is currently not utilized in practice as an energy source, nuclear fission technology is. As it stands, nuclear fission technology currently contributes to approximately 10% of the world’s power sources.
Nuclear fusion technology holds immense potential. If we can harness it, it would provide incredibly clean energy to be used across industries. However, the main challenge we have with the process it being able to capture this energy under controlled conditions. In order to fuse two nuclei, you need temperatures of over 100 million degree Celsius, incredibly high pressure, and the ability to keep hydrogen atoms stable long enough for the fusion reaction to occur.
Currently, nuclear fusion technology is limited to experimental research and design. While there has been progress in terms of achieving a controlled environment to occur, the energy required for the reaction to occur still exceeds the energy output of the process upon completion. In addition, the process is incredibly expensive, and also requires use of the element tritium. This element is very rare naturally, and must therefore either be produced in a reactor or extracted from lithium.
China builds new nuclear fusion research center
China has recently been revealed to be constructing a laser fusion technology research site. The site would be the largest research facility ever for this kind of research, surpassing California’s National Ignition Facility by 50%. Laser fusion technology is a critical part of the nuclear fusion process. A major challenge the field faces with advancing the technology is that it requires a large amount of investment and capital. The new research center would be a major milestone in terms of the resources it would have access to, to advance research in nuclear fusion technology.
However, some experts have also suggested that the reason for the construction of the new research facility is not merely for advancing the green energy revolution, but also for China’s nuclear weapons development. Laser-ignition facilities like the one China is building can be used to simulate the first milliseconds of a nuclear explosion, helping researchers to advance this type of weaponry.
While nuclear fission technology is our main source of nuclear technology for clean energy, a major problem with it is that it generates radioactive waste. If we could successfully produce a feasible way of generating nuclear fusion technology, it would not only offer unlimited clean energy, but no radioactive waste would be produced from the process.
The journey towards clean energy production
Finding ways to produce clean energy is a continuously accelerating field. The transportation industry has made significant progress in advancing alternative engine solutions to the internal combustion engine, while the solar power industry has also seen significant technological improvements, including with regards to their application in space. While the reality of nuclear fusion application is most likely still decades away, there is still promising implementation already occurring as the world implements more sustainable practices.
