Time to check in on fusion

More breakthroughs are not only good for science, but good for everyone

From desalination to manufacturing advances and sewage treatment, we have discussed lots of good aspects of modern life here. All of these good things revolve around electricity and become more of a reality the closer we get to electrical energy abundance.

A key to nearly limitless electricity is fusion, and there have been some breakthroughs in that research field that bear noting.

They are that good.

There are two major developments that we want to focus on.

The first comes from (at?) the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) where some mind-blowing work is being done with liquid elements to manage the extreme heat within fusion reactors. Managing the heat is a critical problem to solve, and the latest idea is a "lithium vapor cave," a novel use of evaporated lithium to protect reactors from the intense heat of the plasma. Right now this concept is mostly theoretical, driven by computer simulations and, as we know from the movies:

Then there’s the curiously named inertial fusion, which aims to create the conditions necessary for fusion by compressing a fuel pellet to extremely high densities. The breakthrough in this sub-field is foam! Specifically a porous foam known as nanofoam.

A key barrier for economic viability of inertial fusion is the high cost of fabricating the fuel containers. Nanofoam offers a solution by enhancing structural efficiency and thermal management. Nanofoam’s lightweight and porous structure provides strength, dissipates heat effectively and lowers the need for high-cost materials.

It may not look like much, but this is nano foam

Progress (through liquid lithium and inertial confinement fusion) is being made toward harnessing fusion energy. If successful, these efforts could provide a solution to the world's growing energy needs, offering a clean, abundant, and sustainable power source for future generations.