Nuclear fusion is a kind of energy technology, which utilizes the principle of stars, the hydrogen nucleus will be merged into helium nucleus, so as to release a huge amount of energy. If nuclear fusion can be realized under controlled conditions, then mankind can have a clean, safe and...
Nuclear fusion is an energy technology that utilizes the principle of stars to merge hydrogen nuclei into helium nuclei, thereby releasing enormous amounts of energy. If nuclear fusion can be realized under controlled conditions, then mankind can have a clean, safe and unlimited energy source.
Last year, the U.S. government's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) achieved an important milestone in the field of nuclear fusion: for the first time, they realized "ignition," which means that the energy produced by a fusion reaction exceeds the energy needed to excite the reaction.
However, for fusion to become a reliable source of energy, the process needs to be repeatedly validated and optimized. After months of work, LLNL finally achieved ignition again last week and released a statement on Sunday.
In an experiment conducted on July 30, we reproduced the ignition," the statement said. We are analyzing the results. As is our practice, we plan to report these results at upcoming scientific meetings and in peer-reviewed publications."
IT House notes that LLNL used the inertial confinement method, which involves using the world's most powerful lasers to irradiate a miniature diamond capsule filled with hydrogen fuel, causing it to compress and trigger a reaction. In addition to this, there is another method called the magnetic confinement method, which uses a powerful magnetic field to surround a high-temperature plasma in a circular container and cause it to react.
Currently, either method still faces many technical and economic challenges. It may be years or even decades before nuclear fusion can truly serve mankind. However, the fact that LLNL has once again achieved fusion ignition is undoubtedly encouraging news and brings new hope for fusion technology.
