after 19 years in construction it's time to fire up Germany's revolutionary Fusion machine it's a tense [Applause] [Music] moment Germany has shocked the world with its latest Endeavors in nuclear fusion research marking a significant milestone in the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions this cuttingedge experimental reactor represents a bold Leap Forward in the global quest for viable Fusion Energy Technologies the world is watching closely as Germany's new nuclear fusion reactor shocks the entire industry with this bold new step forward Germany is about to lead the world into a whole new era of clean accessible and cheap energy Germany is all set for harnessing nuclear energy like never before Germany has set its sights on a groundbreaking Endeavor the construction of its very own f fusion power plant by 2040 spearheading this ambitious initiative is the country's Federal research Minister who recently unveiled a new funding program dedicated to advancing nuclear fusion research within the country Germany has a long-standing commitment to Fusion research the Federal Ministry of Education and Research has collaborated with leading institutions such as the max plank Institute for plasma physics Carl's Rua Institute of Technology and Research Center julich to bring the country close closer to cleaner and more accessible energy this comprehensive funding program comprises two key pillars the first phase focuses on accelerating the development of essential Fusion Technologies components and materials to reach crucial Milestones by the early 2030s subsequently the second phase involves putting together a comprehensive power plant design the program encourages joint ventures between research institutions universities and Industry players Fusion Energy is the answer to Global energy challenges and can deliver clean reliable and affordable power leveraging Germany's robust research infrastructure and Industrial prowess the ministry aims to create a thriving Fusion ecosystem comprising industry stakeholders startups and academic institutions dubbed Fusion 240 research on the way to a fusion power plant the program aims to position Germany at the 4 for front of Fusion Energy Innovation with a substantial increase in research funding earmarked for Fusion projects Germany is poised to invest over e 1 billion by 2028 underscoring its steadfast commitment to Fusion research the initiative aligns with Germany's broader energy transition strategy which prioritizes the phase out of fishing nuclear power in favor of sustainable Alternatives with the closure of several nuclear power plants in recent years including the final shutdown of three units in April last year Germany is poised to embark on a new era of energy Innovation Germany's ambitious Fusion Energy initiative aims to surpass the achievements of the eer project while ier serves as an international collaborative effort to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion power on a large scale Germany's focused approach seeks to accelerate the development timeline and establish a domestic foothold in Fusion technology Germany aims to propel Fusion research forward in key areas such as technological innovation timeline efficiency and cost Effectiveness this strategic Vision reflects Germany's commitment to spearheading Fusion Energy Innovation and positioning itself as a global leader in the transition to clean energy at the heart of Germany's Fusion Energy Endeavor lies the promise of clean Limitless energy this is a transformative solution to the world's pressing energy challenges fusion power offers unparalleled benefits including abundant fuel sources minimal environmental impact and virtually Limitless energy production potential but this road and what lies ahead has a history behind it history of fusion research it All Began in the early 20th century with the pioneering work of scientists like Ernest ruford and Albert Einstein building upon this Foundation British physicist Arthur Ed Edington proposed the concept of fusion as the energy source of stars in the 1920s following the second world war with its nuclear bomb ending interest in controlled Fusion for peaceful purposes emerged in 1951 American physicist Lyman Spitzer proposed magnetic confinement Fusion for harnessing nuclear fusion reactions for energy production by using magnetic fields to confine and control a hot plasma of charged particles in this approach extremely high temperatures are used to create a plasma state where Atomic nuclei fuse releasing vast amounts of energy in the process as occurs in the core of stars however the challenge lies in containing the plasma at such high temperatures and pressures long enough for Fusion reactions to occur consistently and sustainably magnetic fields are employed to confine the hot plasma preventing it from contacting the walls of the fusion reactor where it would cool down and lose energy very devices such as tokumx and stellarators have been developed to achieve this magnetic confinement to eventually produce a practical and sustainable source of Fusion Energy in the 1950s and 1960s scientists conducted pioneering experiments in Fusion using devices such as the stellarator and toac the Soviet Union beat the Western Block in developing the first tokomak device the T1 in 1958 meanwhile other countries explor explored various experimental approaches the next big thing in the Saga came with the international thermonuclear experimental reactor or ier project that kickstarted in 1985 a collaborative effort among multiple Nations erer aims to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion power by building the world's largest tokomak Fusion device while significant progress has been made challenges persist plasma instabilities material limitations and reactor engineering complexities still demand research and development efforts but the project has come a long way the eer project situated adjacent to the catarra facility in southern France Ider or the international thermonuclear experimental reactor is poised to become the Pinnacle of magnetic confinement plasma physics experimentation upon its completion in late 2025 it will become the world's largest experimental tokok nuclear fusion reactor dwarfing its predecessors with over 10 times the plasma volume while the ultimate goal of fusion research is to generate electricity iter's immediate Focus lies in scientific inquiry and technological demonstration its objectives include achieving significant Fusion output testing essential Technologies exploring the Dynamics of burning plasma evaluating tridium breeding and validating the safety Protocols of fusion power plants at the heart of 's design is its Thermo nuclear fusion reactor that can harness over 300 megawatt of electrical power to induce the plasma to absorb 50 megawatts of thermal energy this will yield a remarkable 10-fold increase in plasma heating power for brief intervals lasting between 400 to 600 seconds eer will generate an impressive 500 megaw of heat from Fusion setting new benchmarks in controlled Fusion reactions financially and operationally ier is is a testament to Global collaboration and scientific camaraderie funded and overseen by seven member parties including China the European Union India Japan Russia South Korea and the United States plus partner countries like the United Kingdom and Switzerland iter embodies the spirit of international cooperation in pursuit of scientific advancement since its groundbreaking in 2013 and the commencement of the tokomak assembly in 2020 ITR has been a focal point of attention originally estimated at close to6 billion e the project is now set to cost anywhere between EUR 18 and 22 billion EUR sparking debates over its Financial viability despite these challenges Ider represents a beacon of human Ingenuity cooperation and the Relentless pursuit of scientific discovery as the torch bearer of fusion research Ider sets the stage for future endeavors with plans for its successor the Euro Fusion Le demo to usher in a new era of Fusion Energy it holds the promise of satisfying our escalating energy needs sustainably with minimal environmental impact just a single gram of dyum tridium fuel mixture in a fusion reaction yields a staggering 990,000 kilowatt hours of energy to do the same we'd have to burn 11 tons of coal key 's mission is achieving the burning plasma state where over 50% of the energy for plasma heating originates from Fusion reactions this Milestone promises increased efficiency and reduced Reliance on external heating systems iter's overarching mission is to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion power as a large scale carbon-free energy source through a series of specific objectives these include generating a fusion plasma with a thermal power 10 times greater than the in Ed thermal power achieving a steady state plasma sustaining Fusion pulses for up to 8 minutes pioneering essential Technologies for future fusion power stations validating tridium breeding concepts for fuel self-sufficiency refining Neutron shield and heat conversion technology and experimenting with the burning plasma State all of this is crucial for advancing toward commercial fusion power generation however the project encompasses broader aims including develop veloping the technical organizational and logistical capabilities necessary for managing such Mega projects among participating countries this entails nurturing local Nuclear Fusion Industries establishing Supply chains and fostering a collaborative culture conducive to managing complex scientific Endeavors however one of the most crucial aspects of eer is the pathway it paves toward the realization of commercial Fusion Energy through projects like Euro Fusion's demo established in 2014 Euro Fusion is a Consortium comprising National Fusion research institutes across the European Union the UK Switzerland and Ukraine it succeeded the European Fusion development agreement or efda and is funded by The eurom Horizon 2020 program the Consortium with agreements signed by 30 research organizations and universities from 25 EU countries Switzerland Ukraine and the UK directs Fusion research activities in line with the road map to the realization of Fusion Energy this road map outlines the most efficient path to achieve Fusion electricity by 2050 research conducted under Euro Fusion aims to prepare for iter experiments and develop concepts for the fusion power demonstration plant demo demo which stands for demonstration power plant is envisioned as the next major milestone in Fusion energy development after Ider it aims to demonstrate the feasibility of generating electricity from Fusion on a commercial scale building on the knowledge gained from Ider demo will strive to address key challenges such as achieving sustained plasma confinement demonstrating efficient energy production and developing Advanced Materials capable of withstanding the extreme conditions inside a fusion reactor by leveraging the expertise and resources of the Euro Fusion Consortium demo represents a collaborative effort among European Fusion research institutes to translate the scientific and technological advancements achieved through ITR into a practical and economically viable fusion power plant while itar focuses on proving the scientific feasibility of fusion demo aims to demonstrate its practical feasibility as a sustainable source of clean energy okay so what about Germany's Endeavors in nuclear fusion research for that we must take a look at what the country's leading organizations are up to the max plank Institute for plasma physics with two locations in Germany the max plank Institute for plasma physics or IP operates in garching near Munich established in 1960 and gald founded in 1994 these sites serve as hubs for Cutting Edge Fusion research and host a diverse range of large-scale experimental devices one of the prominent devices at the garching site is the as AZ de's upgrade tokomak which has been operational since 1991 tokamaks use magnetic fields to confine and control plasma a crucial step in achieving nuclear fusion the garching facility is also home to the wendelstein 7x stellarator which began operation in 2016 stellarators like the wendelstein 7x are another type of fusion device that uses complex magnetic configurations to confine and stabilize plasma moreover the IPP possesses Advanced research infrastructure including a tandem accelerator and a high heat flux test facility named glattus these facilities play essential roles in studying plasma physics testing materials and advancing Fusion technology PP is dedicated to investigating the physical principles underlying fusion power generation as an Institute of the max plank Society it is affiliated with the European atomic energy community and is an associated member of the helmholtz association in close collaboration with projects such as Ider and demo the IP plays a vital role in advancing Fusion research moreover it partners with academic institutions like the Technical University of Munich and the University of grial along with Associated Partners such as the libbets institute for plasma science and technology in gald and the libes computational center in garching the wendelstein 7 X or w7x reactor located in grifall Germany is an experimental stellarator constructed by the IP and completed in October 2015 its primary objective is to advance stellarator technology and evaluate the essential components of future fusion power plants while it does not generate electricity it serves as a crucial platform for Fusion research building upon the work of its predecessor the wendelstein 7as experimental reactor the wendelstein 7x reactor is the world's largest accelerator device following two successful operational phases concluding in October 2018 the reactor underwent upgrades completed in 2022 subsequent Fusion experiments in February 2023 showcased longer plasma confinement and increased power output this phase aims to progressively enhance power and duration ultimately achieving up to 30 minutes of continuous plasma discharge but for perspective one must first understand what a stellarator is and how it is involved in the whole nuclear fusion equation stellarators are devices designed to confine plasma using external magnets to harness nuclear fusion reactions the name stellarator draws inspiration from Stars where Fusion naturally occurs these devices stand as pioneering fusion power devices tracing their Origins to the mid 20th century in 1951 American scientist Lyman Spitzer of Princeton University conceived the stellarator with early developmental strides made by his team at what evolved into the Princeton plasma Physics laboratory the Inception of lyman's model A in 1953 marked a milestone showcasing the successful confinement of plasma subsequent iterations however encountered significant setbacks exhibiting poor performance and plasma loss by the dawn of the next decade the dream of swiftly materializing a commercial grade machine began to wne redirecting Focus towards delving into the fundamental theory of high energy plasmas however when the USSR unveiled its tokomak design in 1968 it signaled a paradigm shift in performance standards following extensive deliberation within the US scientific Community ppppl transitioned the model C stellarator to the symmetrical tokomak or St to validate these advancements the subsequent confirmation of these breakthroughs led to a waning interest in large scale stellarator projects in the US as the tokomak garnered predominant attention over the ensuing decades despite encountering challenges tokom MOX experienced a Resurgence in the 1990s advancements in construction methodologies have ever since bolstered the quality and potency of magnetic fields augmenting stellarator performance notable exemplars of this Resurgence include Germany's wendelstein 7x the Helo symmetric experiment or hsx in the US and Japan's large helical device each serving as pivotal test beds for refining stellarator Concepts and propelling fusion Research into New Frontiers the requirements for Fusion are not to be taken lightly though these reactions demand extremely high temperatures to initiate and sustain nuclear fusion reactions he a gas to hundreds of millions of degrees is necessary to energize the particles within it to the point where Fusion becomes feasible as materials are heated Beyond a few tens of thousand de they ionize into plasma a gas-like state of matter composed of electrons and nuclei plasma like any hot gas exerts internal pressure and tends to expand therefore containing the plasma becomes a significant challenge for Fusion reactors that's where magnetic confinement system systems come into play in the earlier versions of such systems a simple configuration involved placing a tube inside the core of a solenoid however this setup failed to confine the plasma adequately to address this limitation the torus shape was introduced where particles circulate around magnetic field lines preventing outward motion despite this Improvement uneven magnetic fields could cause plasma drift and eventual escape the stellarator concept cep aimed to counteract this drift Spitzer's design featured a figure 8 configuration where particles alternated between the inside and outside of the toroidal tube cancelling out drift effects additionally Spitzer introduced the diverter concept to remove high energy particles that could Escape confinement over time stellarator designs evolved to optimize confinement and heating variants like the racetrack and twisted ribbon configurations introduced Innovations to improve particle circulation and magnetic field control the wendelstein 7x in Germany follows a five field period hels configuration primarily comprising a toroidal shape it incorporates 50 non-plan and 20 planer superconducting magnetic coils standing 3.5 M tall to generate a magnetic field that confines the plasma away from the reactor walls the coils are arranged within a 16 M diameter cryostat and operat at Super conductivity temperatures with liquid helium cooling the plasma vessel consisting of 20 parts conforms to the intricate shape of the magnetic field and features numerous ports for plasma Heating and observation the heating system of wendelstein 7x delivers up to 15 megawatt of heating to the plasma a comprehensive array of sensors and probes is deployed to measure key plasma properties including electron density and temperature profiles impurity levels and Radial electric Fields resulting from particle transport but all of this comes at a cost financial support for the vendelin 7x project is primarily sourced from Germany which contributes Approximately 80% of the funding the remaining 20% of funds are provided by the European Union within Germany 90% of the funding originates from the federal government while the state government of mecklinburg VOR pomr contributes the remaining 10% % the investment in the stellarator itself spanning from 1997 to 2014 totaled 370 million EUR however the overall expenditure for the IP site in grial encompassing both investment and operating costs amounted to 1.06 billion EUR over 18 years this figure exceeded the initial budget estimate due to an extended development phase the project has also garnered International report in July 2011 the president of the max plank Society Peter grus announced a significant contribution from the United States under the Innovative approaches to Fusion program of the United States Department of energy a contribution of $7.5 million was pledged to support the wendelstein 7x project but there's more to Germany's nuclear fusion dream the story is incomplete without another key player ga Fusion the gateway to the Future established in 2022 by a Consortium of European companies from Germany France Italy and Spain gaus Fusion gmbh has embarked on a transformative journey in Fusion technology recently they secured 8 million EUR in initial Capital through a Founders preed financing round in February 2023 this is only the first in a series of steps toward realizing their vision of a clean and secure Energy Future to complement renewable energies the gaus fusion initiative is committed to launching the first European gwass fusion power plant the gaus Giga fusion power plant by 2045 Yes you heard that right within the next two decades addressing the pressing need for clean and sustainable energy sources in a modern Net Zero Society gaus Fusion advocates for Fusion Energy as a supplementary energy source capable of delivering base load power clean ly safely and reliably their motto of fusion with Integrity underscores their commitment to providing green energy through magnetic Fusion grounded in realism and scientific rigor however it's easier said than done but now our chances are better than ever Fusion Energy has emerged as a focal point in political discourse in the EU especially following recent breakthroughs in Fusion research gaus Fusion aims to capitalize on this momentum by collaborating with with leading scientists and Engineers to explore industrialization maintenance and safety Concepts Paving the way for the development of a commercial prototype of a gwcl class fusion power plant the Munich based company has also secured 9 million EUR in funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research to propel the development of magnetic coils essential for Fusion Energy with Magnetic confinement this substantial investment comprising 25% of the total 35 million EUR allocated underscores the German government's commitment to advancing Clean Energy Solutions the focus of this funding is on advancing the production and development of demountable superconducting magnetic coils a critical component required for the realization of Fusion Energy on an industrial scale so what is it that all these multinational efforts aim to accomplish and how far are we in the line of breaking into an untapped reserve of clean energy what does it take for sustaining Fusion at an industrial scale sustaining Fusion at an industrial scale is a Monumental challenge that requires overcoming several key hurdles while significant progress has been made in Fusion research there are still crucial steps to be taken before Fusion can become a viable energy source projects like eer and experimental devices such as the wendelstein 7x have shown promising results demonstrating advanced en Ms in plasma confinement and stability however achieving sustained Fusion reactions with net energy gain remains elusive challenges with this approach or magnetic confinement Fusion include maintaining plasma stability over long durations controlling plasma instabilities and developing efficient methods for heating and confining the plasma to sustain Fusion at an industrial scale researchers need to address these challenges by enhancing plasma confinement improving Heating and fueling techniques and developing Innovative reactor designs furthermore advancements in Materials Science and Engineering are crucial for developing materials that can withstand the extreme conditions inside Fusion reactors such as high temperatures Neutron bombardment and intense radiation however one must ask is there another way well as it so happens there is another approach called inertial confinement Fusion or ICF triggers nuclear fusion reactions by compressing and heating small pellets filled with fuel typically containing radioisotopes of hydrogen dyum and tridium the energy is focused on the target's outer layer causing it to explode outward and generate shock waves that compress and heat the target when the shock waves are powerful enough they induce Fusion reactions CF is one of the two major branches of Fusion Energy Research alongside magnetic confinement Fusion or mcf initially seen as a promising approach to power production in the early 1970s ICF encountered challenges when experiments revealed lower efficiency than expected however interest was rekindled in the following decades today the national ignition facility or NF in the US stands as the largest operational ICF experiment in 2022 the NF achieved a significant milestone by producing Fusion delivering 2.05 Meg of energy to
the Target resulting in the production of 3.15 Meg this was the first time an ICF device generated more energy than was delivered to the Target however technical challenges are far from solved achieving ignition and addressing efficiency issues remains a major hurdle even if technical barriers are overcome practical challenges remain laser efficiency improvements could enhance energ output but significant gains are necessary to achieve energy parity the national ignition facility consumes vast amounts of energy to produce fusion with limited yield plus power extraction from ICF systems poses secondary challenges like those in mcf systems managing heat removal from the reaction chamber without disrupting targets and Driver beams is critical Neutron release can weaken reactor structures and render them radioactive controlling Fusion after damp such as helium Ash and debris is also crucial especially in indirect Drive systems moreover economic viability remains a concern due to high fuel costs the cost of Fuel shots must be significantly reduced for If plants to be economically feasible despite its potential benefits ICF experiments share similarities with thermonuclear weapons raising ethical and proliferation concerns ICF research funding is often linked to nuclear weapons programs prompting debates over treaty violations and the development of pure Fusion weapons thus in this nuclear fusion research race mcf seems to be ahead by a long leap several mcf devices such as tokumx and stellarators are operational and have achieved significant milestones for example devices like jet or joint European Taurus and East or experimental Advanced superconducting tokomak have demonstrated sustained plasma confinement and fusion reaction s the eer project a large tokomak under construction in France aims to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion power on a commercial scale moreover the technology for mcf reactors including superconducting magnets plasma heating systems and Diagnostics has advanced considerably over the decades while challenges remain progress in mcf research has brought the concept closer to practical implementation also the ier project project representing a collaborative effort among several countries reflects a global commitment to advancing mcf as a viable energy source the Project's scale and scope underscore the confidence in mcf's potential for achieving sustainable Fusion Energy considering the big picture Fusion research funding and efforts worldwide primarily focus on mcf with significant investments in experimental facilities theoretical studies and Engineering research while while ICF research continues mcf has received more attention and resources due to its perceived feasibility and progress Germany has already planned to master the craft by the 2040s but what is it that we'll be using for energy generation here the fuel for mcf primarily consists of isotopes of hydrogen dyum and tridium dyum is a stable isotope of hydrogen and is readily available in seawater where it exists in abundance the extraction of dyum from seawater involves a process called isotope separation which separates dyum from ordinary hydrogen or proteum while the extraction process requires energy the resource is virtually Limitless providing a sustainable source of fuel for Fusion reactors tridium another isotope of hydrogen is not naturally abundant and must be produced artificially it is typically generated by irradiating lithium specifically lithium 6 with neutrons in a nuclear reactor the lithium blanket surrounding the fusion reactor captures these neutrons producing tridium this tridium is then extracted from the blanket and used as fuel in the fusion reaction additionally in a fusion reactor some of the trium produced during the fusion process can be bred from lithium contained in the reactor's blanket ensuring a self-sustaining fuel cycle the cost of fuel for mcf primarily dyum and tridium is also far cheaper extracting dyum from seawater is relatively a lowcost Endeavor compared to fossil fuels while the extraction process requires energy dyum is abundant in seawater making it a cost-effective resource dyum is virtually inexhaustible as it is present in sea water in large quantities therefore its availability is not subject to depletion concerns like fossil fuels however tridium production involves irradiating lithium with neutrons in a nuclear reactor which can be energy intensive and costly additionally handling and managing tridium present challenges due to its radioactive nature and short half-life adding to the overall cost tridium is not naturally abundant and must be produced artificially while it can be bred from lithium and fusion reactors ensuring a sustainable and efficient Supply remains a challenge fossil fuels on the other hand may have a relatively low cost of extraction but they are limited no matter how rich the reserves are for now they are bound to run out plus the use of fossil fuels contributes to environmental pollution greenhouse gas emissions and climate change leading to significant environmental and health costs in contrast while the initial investment and Technology development for mcf may be high the fuel sources are abundant and sustainable offering long-term energy security without the environmental drawbacks of fossil fuels additionally as mcf technology advances and economies of scale are realized the cost of Fusion Energy is expected to decrease making it increasingly competitive with fossil fuels in the long run so what does the future hold for Humanity Fusion Energy holds immense promise as a clean abundant and sustainable source of Power with the ability to harness the same process that powers the sun Fusion offers the potential to meet Humanity's energy needs for centuries to come without contributing to greenhouse gas emissions or producing long-lived radioactive waste moreover Fusion Energy holds immense potential for revolutionizing space travel enabling scientific experiments and supporting space colonization efforts offering a pathway to ensure Humanity's survival in the future regarding space travel Fusion propulsion systems could provide a highly efficient and Powerful means of propulsion for spacecraft enabling faster and more efficient travel throughout the solar system and beyond Fusion engines could generate thrust by expelling high-speed plasma exhaust offering much higher specific impulse than conventional chemical Rockets allowing spacecraft to reach higher speeds and travel longer distances in shorter time frames with Fusion propulsion missions to distant planets moons and even Interstellar travel become more feasible opening up opportunities for exploration and scientific discovery moreover Fusion Energy could facilitate scientific experiments that are currently restricted by energy availability particularly in space-based research platforms Fusion reactors can also provide a compact and sustainable power source for scientific instruments telescopes and experiments conducted on space stations enabling researchers to conduct long duration experiments and observations without the limitations of conventional power sources enhanced energy availability from Fusion could support experiments in fields such as particle physics astrophysics Material Science and biology advancing our understanding of the universe and unlocking new scientific discoveries it can also play a crucial role in supporting sustainable habitats and colonies in space and on other celestial bodies Fusion reactors could provide abundant and clean energy for life support systems habitat heating agriculture water purification and other essential infrastructure needed for human settlement in Space by harnessing Fusion Energy space colonies could become self- sustaining and independent from Earth's finite resources ensuring the long-term survival of human civilization and expanding the reach of humanity beyond our home planet the road to commercial Fusion reactors is still long and uncertain but recent progress has been promising Fusion research organizations and consortia worldwide are working diligently to overcome remaining obstacles and bring Fusion Energy closer to realization with continued investment Innovation and international collaboration commercial Fusion reactors may become a reality within the coming decades well that's it for now thanks for watching don't miss this video you see on your screen right now it's truly unbelievable
2024-05-30