Posted on 11/17/2023 11:35:43 AM PST by Red Badger
what are the factors that are accelerating the development of fusion energy?
Answer from google including caveats:
Fusion energy has long been a promising but elusive goal, and there are several factors that are currently accelerating its development:
Advancements in Fusion Technologies: There have been significant advancements in fusion technologies, particularly in the development of magnetic confinement and inertial confinement fusion approaches. These technologies include tokamaks, stellarators, and laser inertial confinement fusion (ICF) systems, which have become more efficient and reliable.
International Collaboration: Fusion research is a global endeavor, with countries around the world collaborating on large-scale fusion experiments. Projects like ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) in France, which is the world’s largest fusion experiment, involve contributions from 35 nations. This collaboration allows for the sharing of resources, expertise, and funding, speeding up progress.
Private Sector Investment: In recent years, there has been a growing interest from private companies in developing fusion as a viable energy source. Companies like TAE Technologies, Tokamak Energy, and First Light Fusion are investing in novel approaches to fusion and attracting significant private capital, which has accelerated research and development.
Advances in Materials Science: Fusion reactors operate under extreme conditions with high temperatures and radiation, which can damage materials over time. Advances in materials science have led to the development of materials capable of withstanding these harsh environments, prolonging the lifespan of fusion reactors and reducing maintenance costs.
Computational Modeling and AI: The use of advanced computational modeling and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques has improved our understanding of plasma behavior and helped optimize fusion reactor designs. These tools allow researchers to simulate and analyze complex physical processes more efficiently.
Climate Change and Energy Security: The urgent need to address climate change and reduce carbon emissions has increased the interest in clean and sustainable energy sources. Fusion offers the potential for a nearly limitless and environmentally friendly energy source, which has spurred greater investment and research efforts.
Improved Diagnostic Tools: Fusion researchers now have access to more sophisticated diagnostic tools and instruments, which provide better insights into plasma behavior and help identify and address challenges more effectively.
Regulatory Support: Governments in some countries have recognized the potential of fusion energy and are providing regulatory support, funding, and favorable policies to encourage its development.
Public Awareness and Support: Increased public awareness of the potential benefits of fusion energy has led to greater support for fusion research. This support can translate into increased funding and political will to push fusion development forward.
While significant progress has been made, it’s important to note that practical fusion energy is still some years away from becoming a reality. Technical challenges remain, and it may take several more decades before fusion power plants become commercially viable. Nonetheless, the factors mentioned above are contributing to the accelerated development of fusion energy, and there is optimism about its potential as a clean and abundant energy source for the future.
While significant progress has been made, it’s important to note that practical fusion energy is still some years away from becoming a reality.
Is Helion Energy a scam?
Answer from Google:
The geeks at Microsoft must not have read the history regarding fusion power, or else they wouldn’t have signed on with the Helion scam (“Everett nuclear fusion company nets first customer: Microsoft,” The Herald, May 10).
Fusion power has been the tantalizing source of infinite energy for the last 60 years. Large institutions and universities have tried, in vain, to make a practical fusion plant. The latest breakthrough was achieved by Fermi-lab with its huge laser-powered monster. After much scrutiny it was discovered that the machine did achieve ignition and that the energy output was greater than the energy input. But the difference was minute and to turn the devise into a megawatt producing factory is probably decades away.
France is building a huge version of the Tokamak machine in the hopes of harnessing the process but that won’t be running any time soon. Lockheed-Martin, a few years ago, announced that it had designed a small fusion reactor but it’s growing in size and it has yet to produce more energy than is needed to run it.
So the chances of Helion producing a workable fusion reactor is zero.
google question:
how long does it take for MIT’s new small tokamak fusion reactors to build up 100 Mj of stored energy?
Google Answer
As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, MIT’s SPARC project aimed to develop a small tokamak fusion reactor. However, I don’t have access to real-time data or updates beyond that date. The specific time it takes for a tokamak fusion reactor to build up 100 megajoules (MJ) of stored energy would depend on various factors, including the reactor’s size, design, and operating parameters.
In a fusion reactor like SPARC, the energy is typically generated by heating hydrogen isotopes to extremely high temperatures to create a plasma, and then confining and sustaining that plasma in a magnetic field. The rate at which energy is produced and stored depends on the heating power, confinement time, and other factors.
To estimate the time it would take to accumulate 100 MJ of stored energy in such a reactor, you would need detailed information about the reactor’s design and operating conditions, which may have evolved since my last update. Additionally, achieving sustained fusion reactions at this scale is a complex scientific and engineering challenge, and there may be ongoing research and development to improve the performance of such reactors.
I recommend checking the latest updates from MIT’s SPARC project or other relevant sources for the most current information on the progress and performance of small tokamak fusion reactors like SPARC. The timeline and technical details may have changed since my last knowledge update.
Google question.
Is Helion Energy a scam?
google Answer
As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, I do not have any specific information or evidence to suggest that Helion Energy is a scam. Helion Energy is a private company that has been working on developing nuclear fusion technology. Keep in mind that the status and reputation of companies can change over time, so it’s essential to conduct thorough research and due diligence if you are considering any investment or involvement with a company.
To determine the legitimacy of a company, you should consider the following steps:
Research the company: Look for information about the company’s history, founders, leadership team, and financial status. Check their website, news articles, and any publicly available information.
Check for regulatory compliance: Verify whether the company complies with relevant regulations and has the necessary permits and licenses to operate.
Review customer and employee feedback: Look for reviews, testimonials, or comments from customers and current or former employees to get a sense of the company’s reputation.
Consult reliable sources: Seek information from credible financial news sources, industry experts, and government agencies that regulate the industry.
Be cautious of red flags: Be wary of companies that promise guaranteed returns, lack transparency, or pressure you into making quick investment decisions.
Seek professional advice: Consider consulting with a financial advisor or legal expert before making any significant financial decisions or investments.
It’s important to note that the status of any company can change over time, and new information may have emerged since my last update. Therefore, I recommend conducting up-to-date research and due diligence before making any judgments or decisions regarding Helion Energy or any other company.
“Google Answer
As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, “
That is NOT Google.
That is NOT Google.
I’m using google AI.
If you have it set up right—google will give you anwers at the top of the page. Then on the right hand side it will give you the AI answers.
If I took the trouble to do so—I could probably get more up to date answers from one of the AI tools.
You could do all the above too.
Is Helion Energy a scam?
I gave you the answer from the right hand side of google which is the AI section.
On the top of the page there is the standard result.
Google found a result that matched the intent of question. This result might might please you more.
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Criticism. Retired Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory researcher Daniel Jassby mentioned Helion Energy in a letter included in the American Physical Society newsletter Physics & Society (April 2019) as being among fusion start-ups allegedly practicing “voodoo fusion” rather than legitimate science.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helion_Energy#:~:text=CEO%20of%20OpenAI.-,Criticism,fusion%22%20rather%20than%20legitimate%20science.
Source?”
Not responsive to your question:
“AI can be used ...”
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You should know the answer here yourself.
Google AI does not know specifically as to whether particular fusion companies are using AI for particular parts of the their R&D. However, Google AI does know how AI would be used for particular parts of fusion research. They gave the list.
Then you’d have to ask yourself as to whether an MIT or Stanford scientists would make use of all the tools that were available to him.
Or you could make more in depth queries yourself —taking advantage of the tools that are available.
That’s a horse of a different color............
before three mile island, the great excitement with nuclear power was the possibility of greatly reduced cost of electricity
fission has been all about safety ever since.
but the great excitement about nuclear energy is not about safety. its about cost—as it was at the beginning of the nuclear age— because lowered costs of energy changes civilization. and really lowered costs of energy really change civilization.
So what would be the best way to for fission to compete with fusion in terms of price? That is, what would make the cost of fission produced electrity drop to the point where it was competitive with fusion produced electricity.
Well, as long as we are doing miracles every day—why not convert electrons directly into electricity instead converting them to heat and then steam and then 19th century electricity generation.
how would you do that?
Well first tell everyone in the fission industry who cares to listen that they are dead monkey meat if they can’t figure out how to compete with fusion. just kidding.
the way you do that is to use AI to figure out how to tune or bend or coil or braid the fast electrons put out by the fissionable materials.
So I asked google AI
how would you use AI to figure out how to turn electrons produced by fission directly into electricity?
This was the google AI answer.
Using AI to figure out how to turn electrons produced by fission directly into electricity involves a multidisciplinary approach that combines AI with nuclear physics, materials science, and engineering. Here’s a high-level overview of the steps and considerations:
1. Data Collection and Analysis:
* Gather data on fission reactions, nuclear fuels, and reactor designs.
* Collect information on materials suitable for capturing and converting electrons.
* Compile historical data on previous attempts and experiments related to fission-to-electricity conversion.
2. Model Development:
* Develop AI models for predicting fission reactions, reactor behavior, and electron production.
* Create models to simulate the behavior of materials under high radiation and heat conditions.
* Utilize machine learning algorithms for data analysis and pattern recognition.
3. Simulation and Optimization:
* Run simulations to understand how electrons are produced during fission reactions within various reactor designs.
* Optimize reactor configurations and fuel types to maximize electron production.
4. Materials Selection:
* Use AI to predict and identify materials that can efficiently capture and convert electrons into electricity.
* Consider materials that can withstand the extreme conditions within a nuclear reactor.
5. Control Systems:
* Implement AI-based control systems to manage reactor operations and electron capture processes in real-time.
* Use AI to monitor and adjust reactor parameters for optimal electron production and safety.
6. Safety and Reliability:
* Implement AI algorithms for safety monitoring and early detection of potential issues or anomalies.
* Ensure the reliability of the conversion process, as well as the long-term stability of materials used.
7. Experimental Validation:
* Conduct experiments in controlled environments to validate AI predictions and optimizations.
* Use AI to analyze experimental data and refine models accordingly.
8. Scaling and Integration:
* Apply AI to design scalable systems that can be integrated into existing or new nuclear reactor designs.
* Consider the integration of AI-based energy storage and grid management for efficient electricity distribution.
9. Regulatory Compliance:
* Collaborate with regulatory authorities to ensure compliance with safety and environmental standards.
* Use AI for predictive modeling and risk assessment to meet regulatory requirements.
10. Continuous Learning and Improvement:
* Employ AI for continuous monitoring, data analysis, and optimization to improve the efficiency of fission-to-electricity conversion.
This process involves a combination of fundamental scientific research, computational simulations, experimental validation, and iterative AI-driven optimizations. Collaboration between nuclear physicists, materials scientists, electrical engineers, and AI experts is essential to achieve success in this complex endeavor. Additionally, it’s crucial to address safety, environmental, and regulatory concerns throughout the development and deployment of such technology.
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There you are.
The blow up at OpenAi in the last two weeks was all about OpenAI LLM achieving what looked like the ability to take lessons learned in one area and apply them to other areas. As well, the AI achieved the ability to think about its own thinking process—meaning instead of people analyzing results and making improvements the AI could do that job itself. This seriously spooked ai researchers. They believed that they had achieved Artificial General Intelligence AGI. (it also showed that there is a pretty much straight line path to artificial super intelligence. That’s what really spooked the AI researchers
You can believe that whenever this capability is let go in the wild in a year or three—the fusion researchers will be all over it.
Fission researchers should be too. But in the meantime, there’s plenty of work fission researchers can do to use AI to upgrade their r&d methods.
to make the case for AI you might do some research online to figure out what percent of basic research, applied reasearch and product development uses AI. more importantly—how fast is that increase over time.
“Well, as long as we are doing miracles every day—why not convert electrons directly into electricity instead converting them to heat and then steam and then 19th century electricity generation.
how would you do that?
Well first tell everyone in the fission industry who cares to listen that they are dead monkey meat if they can’t figure out how to compete with fusion. just kidding.
the way you do that is to use AI to figure out how to tune or bend or coil or braid the fast electrons put out by the fissionable materials.”
Again, you display your total ignorance on the subject ...
Agree. I know nothing about fission. But you know nothing about AI or how rapidly its moving into basic and applied researh.
Show me your chops. Post some stats that show percentages of basic and applied research using AI.
That will tell you something.
Here you go.
10 AI Predictions for 2024 - Trends today - What I’m looking forward to next year!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWO9OJUeouE
This youtube directly discusses all the players in the space and why they have significantly decreased the timelines for fusion power to be feeding power to the grid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8suLtCyGGA
Here’s more info on the reason for the collapse of the timelines for the advent of commercial fusion power
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aprVwwDA4kY
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