International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

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Disputes concerning construction of first-ever experimental thermonuclear reactor ITER do not cease. Recently the management of the project is compelled to untangle a balls not so much scientific and technical, how many political disagreements, and the main thing - to solve, where the first installation using self-sustaining reaction of thermonuclear synthesis all the same will be located.

With initiative of creation the USSR in 1985. Now the USA, some countries of the European Community, Russia, China, Japan and South Korea participate in it realization. ITER will develop up to 500 �V the electric power at expenses in 50 �V (for comparison, capacity of the first-ever atomic power station started in Obninsk in 1954, made 5 �V).



That fact testifies to importance of the project, that the Ministry of power of the USA, making in 2003 the twenty years' plan of financing of large scientific projects, has appropriated to participation in ITER the best priority.

more information on www.iter.org...

ITER will definitely be a great step towards commercial fusion power.

Unfortunately, as with any international effort, it has become highly politicized, and as such is being tossed around the negotiation tables. Several countries want to host the project, and they're acting like children fighting over a toy in the sand box. It's also a shame that the US temporarily pulled out of the project under Clinton, as that lost any possiblity for us hosting it. Regardless, I look with great anticipation towards the date ITER becomes operational.

I do have my concerns about the future of magnetically confined fusion, though. I believe the future for fusion is in inertially confined fusion, and with the great steps being made towards the operation of the National Ignition Facility, I fear ITER may turn out to be just a large unnecessary expense.

The future holds many possibilities.

Sounds like a great scientific milestone to me. The ITER could help end the world's dependence on fossil fuels for power generation and that is always a great thing in my mind.

One question though: where is the ITER being built?

May Peace Travel With You
~Astral

D-D, D-T fusion reactions require too much activation energy to ever be a practical approach. Helium3 or Hydrogen-boron(Decaboron) reactions seems to be a much more practical attempt at 'normal' fusion and have the possibility of breaking even within a few years instead of decades. Why the government stopped heavy funding of this type of fusion is anyone's guess(perhaps they were too close...).

D-D and D-T fusion are energy productive...
And you need to consider sources, D is very very readily available in the ocean, and if you're doing it in large enough volumes, they wont mind too much, a small activation energy.
When Iter is completed, It should be able to do 500 MW output for 500 seconds
It will be built in either Japan or France, it hasnt been decided yet

I hope to see it built soon, so we can get away from fossil fuel consumption, and thus, dependance on the middle east.

There are great possibilities with this technology, unlimited energy that wont be as polluting as fossil fuels, and very renewable source as well.

I see D-D and D-T as being wasteful compared to Hydrogen-Boron reactions, however I could see D-D and D-T becoming feasable if certain breakthroughs are made in room temperature superconductivity and quantum thermaltunneling. The problems remain that D-D and D-T both release neutrons and therefore are not suitable for residential installation(regardless of the size of the unit), and must be plugged into the 'grid'. Hydrogen-Boron reactions however only release Ions,X-rays, and Electrons and therefore only require small amounts of shielding. The Hydrogen-Boron(focus fusion generators) are small enough to fit in a house enabling it to become self-sufficient. End rant.

Great step forward, but what will be the implications for the middle east if they have no large export? The economies may possibly collapse, and that may lead to more terrorist actions.

The sooner where off those damn fossil fuels the better we will all be environmentally and political. Not haveing to be dependent on middle eastern countries is a bonus in my opinion.

does anybody think this experiment is actually going to help us the general public...they are going to figure this thing out and then it will be locked under key because it will completely change the way business is done...