fusion energy

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Worldwide Status ofFusion Electricity Developments

Dr. Howard HornfeldFusion AdvocatesGeneva, Switzerland

Presentation to the Gas, Oil and Petroleum Engineering Conference November 2016 Las Vegas

Suitable thanks to everyone.1

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The future is electric! FUSION ADVOCATES GOPE NOV. 2016 LAS VEGAS

What youll hear

What fusion electricity isWhy we need itWhere its being developed When itll be in the grid

Q & A

3FUSION ADVOCATES GOPE NOV. 2016 LAS VEGAS

Energy and electricity

Electricity is 20% of energy

Renewables are mainly electricity

Electricity growth will outstrip all other energy-delivery systems4FUSION ADVOCATES GOPE NOV. 2016 LAS VEGAS

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Why more electricity?

15% of the worlds population have no electricity and will soon demand it

Rising demand in urban areas in developed countries

Increasing number of electric vehicles


More electricity

Provides unlimited fresh water supplies through desalinationHospitals can rely on power, and vaccines can be refrigeratedSafe street lighting and traffic control systemsHeating or cooling for homes, buildings and factories FUSION ADVOCATES GOPE NOV. 2016 LAS VEGAS 6

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Fusion electricityWhat it isand why we need it

DefinitionsFusionControlled reaction between nuclei of isotopes of hydrogen carried out in a very high temperature reactor and generating heat

Fusion ElectricityElectrical power on the public grid generated from a fusion reactor


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Nuclear energyFissionission

Uses high atomic weight materialsOperates in standard process regimesSome waste and raw material problems

Fusion

Low atomic weight materialsExtreme temperaturesMinimal waste and raw materials problems


Why Fusion ?Clean and safe

Unlimited

Non-political

No proliferation danger

Environmentally pro-active


The Fusion Reaction

Reaction products = helium and a neutron, and massive energy11

FUSION ADVOCATES GOPE NOV. 2016 LAS VEGAS

FuelDeuterium and LithiumUnlimited supplies worldwideCheap Low volumes (low transport cost/pollution)No ash or solid waste removal

Safety, security, environmental and economic comparison with alternate electricity systems -

Coal, Oil and GasFissionRenewables


Fuel Supply

Deuterium all water has 0.017% deuteriumTritium

Initial : purchase (todays price: $30,000 per gram)

Subsequent : 3Li6 + 0n1 2He4 + 1H3 (takes place in the reactor)FUSION ADVOCATES GOPE NOV. 2016 LAS VEGAS 13

FUSION ADVOCATES GOPE NOV. 2016 LAS VEGAS 14Fuel SupplyDeuterium all water has 0.017% deuterium

Tritium Initial : purchase (todays price: $30,000 per gram)Subsequent : 3Li6 + 0n1 2He4 + 1H3 (takes place in the reactor)

How is Fusion Done ?Two basic systems, and a few oddballs:

Inertial confinement fusionMagnetic confinement fusion

General FusionTri-AlphaLockheed MartinTokamak Energy15FUSION ADVOCATES GOPE NOV. 2016 LAS VEGAS

Controlling a Plasma


Typical Tokamak


18Inside the Vacuum Vessel of a TokamakFUSION ADVOCATES GOPE NOV. 2016 LAS VEGAS

Fusion Today

JETITEREastern countriesEuropeUSA


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Fusion electricity plans

ChinaKoreaJapanEuropeUSA20FUSION ADVOCATES GOPE NOV. 2016 LAS VEGAS

Competitivity of fusion power

High investmentLow raw-material costsLower operating costs than nuclear Dependent on government tax policies


Fuel considerations1 ton fusion fuel = 4 -10 million tons coal

Storage facilities minimal(main cost is for tritium)

Cheap extraction of deuterium and lithium

Low transport costs (short distances)

No cost for ash or solid waste removal


23Do we have a choice?FUSION ADVOCATES GOPE NOV. 2016 LAS VEGAS

The future is electric!

Thank you!

[email protected]

Dr. Howard HornfeldFusion AdvocatesGeneva, Switzerland


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Q & A 25FUSION ADVOCATES GOPE NOV. 2016 LAS VEGAS

Plasma in a Tokamak

Spherical Tokamak

Conclusions TE Ltd (UK)

Much work remains to be done, but there are grounds for optimismST25s will be used to work on diagnostics, heating and current drive. Other labs are doing similar thingsST40 will demonstrate scaling on small, high field, spherical tokamaksManufacturers are rapidly improving HTS performance at temperatures and higher fields

Conclusions TE Ltd (UK) (contd)Joints with suitable performance have been demonstratedVarious cable designs are being developed around the worldSignificant knowledge gaps remain around HTS irradiation and magnet protectionA combination of in-house development, collaboration and a systematic approach will progressively reduce technical risk, at minimum cost and time