This is the so-called “slow” thermonuclear fusion, when hot plasma is supported by magnetic fields and electric currents. This method also will be used at the international pilot fusion-type reactor ITER in France.
“Quick” thermonuclear synthesis meaning compacting the mix of deuterium (heavy hydrogen) and tritium (radio hydrogen) exposed to powerful laser. Such approach provides for thermonuclear reaction taking parts per million of second. The most successful experiment in the sphere of “quick” thermonuclear synthesis was performed by scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, who used 2.05 MJ in 2022 to plasma heating and were able to get 3.15 MJ.
Modern nuclear power plants (NPP) are based on the nuclear fission reaction, when the atomic nucleus is divided into two lighter ones. On the contrary, the thermonuclear synthesis means joining two light atomic nuclei into one heavier nucleus with simultaneous release of energy. These processes have different length of radioactive materials decay: for uranium-238 (the main type of fuel for NPP) it may achieve 4.5 bln years, and for plutonium-239 received from uranium – 24 thousand years, while as for tritium this period is only 12.3 years, and deuterium is not radioactive.
The thermonuclear synthesis allows for receiving electricity in several stages. When heated up to 150 mln degrees, the mix of deuterium and tritium turns into plasma with the following release of helium and neutrons (energy carriers) to be absorbed by the teel “blanket” surrounding plasma and penetrated by tubes with heat transfer agent. Water performs as such agent; when boiling it generates heat, which is supplied to the turbine for generating electricity.
