Big science in a small space
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore in California was designed with a specific goal: to use high-powered lasers to ignite a fusion reaction that releases more energy than the one million joules needed to start it.
In my side: Yes it is fact that we really need to have some devices that will help the scientists to have a better energy research and to study the structure of stars. But at stake of this present study would result to some advantages and disadvantages.
Let me discuss some of the advantages of the fusion process.
- The fuel for fusion reactions are readily available. Deuterium and Tritium are virtually inexhaustible.
- Unlike the burning of coal or other fossil fuels, fusion does not emit harmful toxins into the atmosphere. The combustion of most fossil fuels involves some form of the reaction.
- Fusion produces only helium, a gas that is already in abundance in the atmosphere and will not contribute to global warming.
But then there also noted disadvantages of the fusion process. But if we eventually can do it, the reactor's inner shell is likely to become mildly radioactive over time and would have to be disposed of accordingly when the reactor is no longer in service. This would also causes a problem for the handling and disposal of that waste. Also, there are by-products created by the regular fusion process, in the form of radioactive materials. There may be other issues, but identifying them will have to wait until this developing research study will be successful.
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