Yesterday, the US Department of Energy said that researchers from the Luhrence Labor Laboratory (LLNL) made a scientific breakthrough, which consists in the fact that due to the inertial thermonuclear reaction, more energy is produced than it is spent on its creation.
Today, officials presented the results of the experiment conducted in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) laboratory on December 5. Researchers said that they produced 3.15 MD with the output energy, at Having spent 2.05 MJ to launch the reaction of nuclear synthesis. During the constrication, Llnl achieved thermonuclear ignition (ignition) in the reactor and received more energy from the reaction than he invested.
To create a thermonuclear ignition, the energy of 192 lasers (2.05 MJ) is converted into x -rays inside Holraum (a small chamber, the walls of which turn laser radiation into x -rays), which then compress the fuel capsule the size of a pea until It will not explode, creating a plasma of superhumine temperature and high pressure.
Thermonuclear fuel granules (frozen mixture of hydrogen isotopes and tritium) inside Holraum, which turns laser radiation into x -rays
During this reaction of nuclear synthesis, helium and neutrons are formed. Theoretically relatively pure energy can be used, for example, by converting neutron energy into heat to actle the steam turbine and the production of electricity.
In order to implement this concept, LLNL built NIF – the largest and most powerful laser system in the world, the cost of $ 3.5 billion. NIF lasers create temperatures and pressure similar to those that arise in the nuclei of stars and giant planets, as well as inside exploding nuclear weapons.
“thermonuclear ignition in the laboratory is one of the most significant scientific tasks that have ever solved humanity, and its achievement is the triumph of science, engineering and, above all, people,” – said Kim woke up, director of llnl.
The results of the experiment are really impressive, but this nuclear synthesis is still far from becoming a source of energy. The initial energy necessary for launching laser rays, was 322 MJ , while 2.05 MD delivered to 2.05 MJ In the fuel capsule to cause its explosion. “The exit” generates only 3.15 MJ – these are too much losses for NIF nuclear synthesis to become a full -fledged source of energy.