this post was submitted on 21 Jun 2023
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Green Energy

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As the title says, I'm interested in this community's perceptions on nuclear energy.

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[โ€“] Nirile 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

If fusion were ever to be feasible, would it also need to used mined uranium, or are there other fuel sources?

[โ€“] perestroika 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Current fusion (thermonuclear bombs) require a fission bomb trigger to start fusion in a lithium deuteride body, but reactors - absolutely not.

Fusion reactors do one of the following:

  • use magnetic fields and electrical current to contain + heat a ring tritium (hydrogen isotope) plasma to extreme temperatures
  • use a laser pulse to compress + heat a capsule of tritium to extreme temperatures
  • use a magnetic field and electrical current to collide two rings of helion (helium isotope) plasma at extreme velocities

Short version: fusion needs fission only in warfare.