From fission to fusion
In a fission reaction, uranium nuclei are split into lighter nuclei and energy is released: a tiny amount of matter is converted into energy in the form of heat. In a fusion reaction, by contrast, two light nuclei combine or fuse to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a great deal of energy. Atomic nuclei have a positive electrical charge and thus repel one another. A fusion reaction can occur if the nuclei are travelling at a high enough speed to counteract the repulsion. An extremely high temperature is required to transmute matter into plasma, where a fusion reaction can occur more easily.
Fusion power is a future option for large-scale energy production. Its environmental impact is negligible, and the fuel resources are huge and evenly distributed across the world. Fusion power plants would be excellent for satisfying basic electricity needs. They could also produce hydrogen required for creating a hydrogen economy.
European fusion research aims at manufacturing a functioning reactor. The Joint European Torus institution (JET) in Britain has been developing a fusion reactor known as the Tokamak, which has been scientifically proven to be a viable concept. It holds the world record for fusion power generation, 16 MW, attained in 1997. Technical functionality will next be tested with ITER, which has an output of more than 400 MW and will be built in Cadarache in the south of France. This reactor does not have full tritium recovery or optimum output of electricity, but its purpose is to establish the technical feasibility of the Tokamak reactor by 2020. After ITER, the plan is to build a demonstration plant which would produce a substantial output of electricity and be self-sufficient with regard to tritium.
Participants in the ITER project include the EU Member States, Russia, the USA, Japan and South Korea. They contribute most of the costs in kind, by delivering the components required for the reactor. Finnish universities participate in the ITER project, for example, by studying plasma and material physics and by maintaining a testing environment for the maintenance system of the ITER Tokamak reactor. Research is currently being conducted at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Helsinki University of Technology, University of Helsinki, the Tampere University of Technology and the Lappeenranta University of Technology.
VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland)
TKK (Helsinki University of Technology)
HY (University of Helsinki)
TTY (Tampere University of Technology)
LTY (Lappeenranta University of Technology)
FUSION - Fusioenergy technologia programme
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ITER
The strategic goal of ITER is to demonstrate that peaceful fusion energy is technically and scientifically viable. Alongside ITER, long-term research and development for a demonstration power plant is being pursued. (Source: European fusion research programme research projects.) |
ITER
European Fusion Development Agreement -hankke (EFDA)
ITER research at IHA