The company launched commercial fusion reactions-fusion in 2027, the reactor-IT information

A company called Tri Alpha Energy (hereinafter referred to as TAE) United States company has just received $500 million in financing, will be used to develop commercial nuclear fusion technology to completely replace fossil fuels.

As the fusion fuel from seawater, so the fusion fuel is almost inexhaustible. But rather than nuclear fission technologies, much harder to realize nuclear fusion.

Nuclear fusion, the combination of two light nuclei to form a heavier nucleus and a very light core (or particle), a form of nuclear reaction. If you want to do fusion, first of all, it is necessary to improve the temperature of a substance, the nuclei and electrons separately, in this state of matter called "plasma". But because the nucleus is positive, mutually exclusive with each other, so it's hard to make it closer to each. To overcome the repulsive force, it is necessary to properly control the temperature and density of Plasmas and maintenance time, these three conditions are indispensable.

Prior to that, TAE equipment can make 10 million degrees Celsius hot plasma temperature, maintained a steady 5 milliseconds, today this number has reached 11.5. 10 million degrees Celsius temperature was enough to sustain nuclear fusion reactions, which represented a possible breakthrough fusion technology.

TAE says, will use this funding to improve devices, thermal plasma in the higher temperatures are kept more steady time. They forecast in 2027, launched the world's first commercial fusion reactor.

TAE is the study of a particular type of fusion energy: hydrogen atoms heated to 3 billion degrees Celsius (even higher than the temperature of the surface of the Sun), produces free electrons and charged ions formed by the plasma. When when ions collide in the plasma fusion, they will bear new atoms, releasing large amounts of energy.

Although this is a relatively simple concept, but the biggest problem is the need for the gas to be heated to such high temperatures. Currently, there is no any material able to withstand such high temperatures.

For many years, in order to solve this problem, the scientists came up with two options: one is the inertial confinement fusion, shorten the time of detonation; another is magnetic confinement fusion, control the range of tipping. After TAE using an alternative technology.

TAE claims that he has been in the reactor's design more successful: plasma in collision in the long tube device to generate heat.

According to the report in the journal Science, this team will a magnet around in a cigar-shaped device, used to launch a plasma beam at different angles.

In the presence of high energy particle beam, boron atoms makes hydrogen nuclei in a plasma state. "This is a big problem, but they seem to have found a way to control. "TAE competitor Energy/Matter Conversion Corporation told Science magazine.

However, TAE does not disclose more detailed information. But the journal Science has confirmed that nuclear fusion TAE is planning to build a pipeline, will be able to reach higher temperatures and longer time.

According to reports, in this way, scientists heat the gas to 10 million degrees Celsius, and 11.5 milliseconds, did not achieve high temperatures, because the fuel ran out.

However, this distance makes hydrogen and boron 3 billion degrees Celsius required for thermonuclear fusion occurs at high temperature is still a big gap. NET understanding of Lei feng, the team is going to get $500 million to improve the existing equipment--C-2U, plans to raise its temperature reached by 10 times.

Humans have uncontrolled nuclear fusion can be achieved, such as the hydrogen bomb explosion, but controllable nuclear fusion is still in the experimental stage, to achieve real business still has a long way to go. TAE can rely on $500 million in 2027, to launch commercial fusion reactors, to play a big question mark here.

这家公司要在2027年推出商用核聚变反应堆 - 核聚变,反应堆 - IT资讯

一家名为Tri Alpha Energy（以下简称TAE）的美国公司刚刚获得了5亿美元的融资，将用来开发可以商用的核聚变技术，以彻底取代化石能源。

由于核聚变燃料可来源于海水，所以核聚变的燃料几乎是取之不尽。但是相比核裂变技术，要真正实现核聚变则要难得多。

核聚变，是将两个较轻的核结合而形成一个较重的核和一个很轻的核（或粒子）的一种核反应形式。如果要进行核聚变反应，首先就必须提高物质的温度，使原子核和电子分开，处于这种状态的物质称为“等离子体”。但由于原子核带正电，彼此间会互相排斥，所以很难使其彼此互相接近。若要克服其相斥的力量，就必须适当地控制等离子体的温度、密度和维持时间，此三项条件缺一不可。

此前，TAE的设备能够让热等离子体在1000万摄氏度的温度下，稳定地保持5毫秒，如今这个数字已经达到了11.5。而1000万摄氏度的温度已经足以维持核聚变反应，这代表了热核聚变技术一个可能的突破点。

TAE称，将使用这笔资金来改进设备，让热等离子体在更高的温度环境下保持更长的稳态时间。他们预测，将在2027年推出世界上第一台商用核聚变反应堆。

TAE研究的是一种特定类型的聚变能：将氢原子加热到30亿摄氏度后（比太阳表面的温度还要高），会产生由自由电子和带电离子组成的等离子体。当等离子体中的离子相互碰撞融合时，就会结合成新的原子，并释放大量的能量。

虽然这是一个相对简单的概念，但是最大的难题是需要将气体加热到如此高的温度。目前，还没有任何一种材料能够承受如此高的温度。

多年来，为了解决这个难题，科学家们想出了两个办法：一种是惯性约束核聚变，缩短引爆的时间；另一种是磁约束核聚变，控制引爆的范围。TAE使用后一种选择技术。

TAE宣称自己已经在反应堆的设计上有了突破：让等离子体在长管型的设备中碰撞来产生热量。

根据《科学》杂志的报道，这个团队将磁铁围绕在一个雪茄型的装置上，用来发射不同角度的等离子束。

在高能粒子束的作用下，使得氢原子核硼原子能够保持在等离子状态。“这是一个很大的难题，但是他们似乎找到了控制的方法。”TAE的竞争对手Energy/Matter Conversion Corporation告诉《科学》杂志。

不过，TAE并未公开更多详细的信息。但是《科学》杂志已经确认，TAE正在计划打造一个核聚变管道，将能够达到更高的温度，并维持更长的时间。

据报道，通过这种方法，科学家们曾将气体加热到1000万摄氏度，并保持11.5毫秒，之所以没有达到更高的温度，是因为燃料用尽了。

但是，这距离让氢和硼发生热核聚变所需的30亿摄氏度的高温仍然还有很大的差距。据雷锋网了解，这个团队准备利用获得的5亿美元来改进现有的设备——C-2U，计划将其所能达到的温度提高10倍。

目前人类已经可以实现不受控制的核聚变，如氢弹的爆炸，但是可控核聚变仍然处在实验阶段，要实现真正的商用还有很长的路要走。对于TAE能否依靠5亿美元在2027年推出能够商用的核聚变反应堆，这里要打上一个大大的问号。