Nuclear Fusion a Feasible Source of Power Essay -- Energy Power Global

Is thermonuclear Fusion a Feasible Source of Power?AbstractNuclear fusion may be an effective solution to the talent problem in today?sworld. Fusion is environmentally friendly and has the potential to spawn massiveamounts of power. It is evident that the Sun?s power is fueled by nuclear fusion. Recentadvancements such as ITER and NIF may bring us adjacent to being able to use fusion. Wefind that nuclear fusion is a long-term solution to a continuing problem.IntroductionSince the Industrial Age, energy from fossil fuels has become widespread. Inrecent times, the depletion of fossil fuels is forcing humanity to search for otheralternatives, such as nuclear fusion. Fusion has been an attractive method of energy for along time. In 1982, Princeton University experimented with the magnetic confinementTokamak a donut shaped accelerator designed to create massive amounts of heat. In1998, JET built on the technology to create the largest Tokamak ever made. The ITER(International Thermon uclear Experimental Reactor) project is currently working on acolossal undertaking to create a Tokamak that kitty produce more energy than it consumes.This project combines the efforts of many nations and will be constructed in class.Meanwhile, the NIF (National Ignition Facility) in Livermore is attempting to use lasersto generate a completely diametrical fusion inertial confinement fusion. Both ITER andNIF are slated for completion in 2030.Fusion is a difficult hurdle for scientists to tackle because scientists cannotcurrently find a method to produce more energy than the process consumes. The JET isthe most cost effective fusion reactor in terms of power. However, the ratio of energyproduction to energy cons... ...century?ReferenceChatellier, Michel, (2001). Sources of goose egg.CEA. Retrieved July 24, 2005 from http//www-fusionmagnetique.cea.fr/gb/energies/energie03.htmITER (2005, July 22). Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia.Retrieved July 24, 2005, http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ ITERNuclear Fusion (2005, July 21). Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia.Retrieved July 24, 2005, from http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusionParfit, Michael (2005). Future Power Where Will the World Get its Next Energy Fix.National Geographic, August 2005. Retrieved August 2, 2005, fromhttp//www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0508/feature1/fulltext.htmlPlatt, Charles (1998). What if Cold Fusion is Real?.Wired, 6.11. Retrieved August 3, 2005, fromhttp//www.wired.com/wired/archive/6.11/coldfusion.htmlCover image courtesy ofhttp//www.cbc.ca/quirks/archives/03-04/dec13.html