US achieves 10x nuclear fusion power boost with new ‘fuel mix’ breakthrough
Scientists across the globe are constantly searching for ways to make fusion power a reality.
Fusion, the process that powers the sun, has the potential to provide clean and abundant energy and is considered the holy grail of energy production. However, it has been quite a challenging task to replicate this process on Earth.
It is in this regard that scientists at the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) have made a significant breakthrough.
They have found that a simple adjustment to the fuel mix could dramatically improve the efficiency of fusion reactors.
“Fusion is really, really hard, and nature doesn’t do you many favors. So, it was surprising how big the improvement was,” said Jason Parisi, a staff research physicist at the Lab and first author on the research paper.
Solution to the tritium hurdle
Fusion reactors typically use a combination of deuterium and tritium, both heavy isotopes of hydrogen. But it is the reliance on tritium, a rare and radioactive isotope of hydrogen, that has proved to be a major hurdle.
Tritium is a key component of the fuel mix used in fusion reactors, but it is expensive to produce and poses safety concerns.
The PPPL researchers have found a way to significantly reduce the amount of tritium needed for fusion reactions. Their approach involves adjusting the ratio of deuterium and tritium in the fuel mix and using a process called spin polarization.
Spin polarization aligns the quantum spins of the fuel atoms, making them more likely to fuse. This increases the efficiency of the fusion reaction, allowing more power to be generated from the same amount of fuel.
This approach has shown remarkable results in computer models. The researchers found that even modest levels of spin polarization could substantially improve the efficiency of the tritium burn.
“In a fusion device, typically, the tritium isn’t fully burned, and it is hard to come by. So, we wanted to improve the tritium-burn efficiency,” remarked Ahmed Diallo, co-author of the paper.
This could lead to a tenfold reduction in the amount of tritium required for fusion reactions.
A range of practical benefits
Increased efficiency translates to several practical benefits. It would reduce the amount of tritium required, minimizing the risks associated with handling and storing this radioactive material.
"The less tritium you have flowing through your system, the less of it will get into the components," Parisi added.
Furthermore, reducing the amount of tritium required allows for smaller and more efficient storage and processing facilities.
"With less tritium required, the overall size of the fusion power plant can be reduced, making it easier to license, situate and construct. Collectively, this should lower the operating costs of the fusion system," explained the researchers in a press release.
The PPPL study is the first to explore the potential of spin-polarized fuel for improving tritium-burn efficiency. It represents a significant step forward in fusion energy research.
“This is the first time researchers have looked at how spin-polarized fuel could improve tritium-burn efficiency,” concluded Jacob Schwartz, a staff research physicist and co-author of the study.