Nuclear Fusion in Five Years?
From Engineering.com
By Kyle Maxey
Lockhead Martin’s Skunk Works is famous for developing advanced technologies. Now Skunk Works Program Manager Charles Chase has outlined their plan for creating a 100 MW Fusion prototype by 2017.
For the last 50 years nuclear fusion has been viewed as the future of power production. With an energy density that’s six orders of magnitude greater than oil, running on low-cost deuterium, it makes sense that nations around the world have been pouring money into nuclear fusion R&D.
Until now the most successful fusion projects have used a technology called a tokamak. According to Chase, “…the physics of a tokamak require enormous size.” In fact, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), where the most advanced research is taking place, is nearly 100 feet tall. But height isn’t the only issue.
