American researchers have found a way to turn atomic waste materials into tritium, a necessary fuel for fusion reactors, reported Interesting Engineering.
This technology solves a pressing problem: America is sitting on thousands of tons of atomic waste from decades of nuclear power generation, but it must import all its tritium, a hydrogen isotope needed for fusion energy.
"Right now, the value of commercial tritium is about $15 million per pound [$33 million per kilogram], and the U.S. doesn't have any domestic capability to create it," explained Terence Tarnowsky, a physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, per IE.
The new technology works by directing particle beams at stored atomic waste. When atoms break apart, they create neutrons that eventually form tritium through a chain of reactions.
Unlike traditional reactors, workers can activate or deactivate the process as needed, which makes the process safer.
Computer simulations indicate a single reactor that consumes 1 billion watts could generate roughly 4.4 pounds of tritium each year. That's more than 10 times what comparable fusion systems might create.
Fusion power combines deuterium and tritium atoms to create energy, just like the process that powers stars. While deuterium exists in abundance in seawater, tritium is scarce. Canada's reactors currently produce most of the world's supply, and Earth's total inventory sits at just 55 pounds.
Nuclear power could help us meet our energy needs, but in its current state, it presents obstacles.
On one hand, fusion reactors could generate huge amounts of electricity with minimal radioactive by-products. Compare this to today's fission plants, which leave behind dangerous materials that need millennia of storage.
On the other hand, nuclear technology hurdles include high costs, safety concerns, and public skepticism about past accidents.
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Which of these factors would most effectively convince you to support nuclear energy projects in your area? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Lower energy bills 💸 This recycling approach addresses the foremost concern by turning a costly burden into valuable fuel. Instead of paying billions to store radioactive materials for thousands of years, facilities could convert waste into tritium worth millions per pound while powering future clean energy systems.
If you support the advancement of clean energy solutions, consider contacting your representatives to discuss funding for fusion research and waste recycling technologies. These innovations could help communities move away from pollution-heavy power sources and create jobs in emerging energy sectors.
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