What is Nuclear Fission and Fusion Energy?

What is Nuclear Fission?

Nuclear fission is the process of splitting (splitting) of atomic nuclei. This process usually involves the splitting of heavy atomic nuclei, especially isotopes such as uranium-235 or plutonium-239, into two smaller nuclei by being hit by a neutron. A large amount of energy is released during this division process. Nuclear fission is often used in nuclear energy production and nuclear weapons technologies.

For example, Uranium-235 is bombarded with neutrons. During bombardment, uranium receives a neutron and becomes Uranium-236, which spontaneously disintegrates into barium-142 and krypton-91. However, it releases three neutrons. If the 3 released neutrons are not removed from the environment, these neutrons join the structure of other Uranium-235 atoms and this reaction continues as a chain. Each Uranium-236 atom releases energy in addition to the 3 neutrons it releases as it disintegrates. This released energy is equal to the energy of 20,000 tons of TNT. The energy released in fission reactions can be used in a controlled manner in nuclear reactors to obtain energy. In addition, the alpha and gamma rays released are used in scientific experiments.

Some key features and uses of nuclear fission are:

Nuclear Energy Production: Nuclear fission is a method used for energy production. In nuclear reactors, controlled fission reactions produce heat carried by water or another coolant. This heat energy is used to generate electricity. Nuclear energy can be seen as an energy source that reduces carbon emissions, but it also brings problems such as nuclear waste and safety concerns.

Nuclear Weapons: Nuclear fission forms the working principle of nuclear weapons. Fission reactions release large amounts of energy, and this energy is used in nuclear explosions. Therefore, the uncontrolled use of nuclear fission can be dangerous and raises major concerns about global security.

Nuclear Medicine: Nuclear fission can also be used in medical applications. Particularly in treatments such as radiation therapy, cancer cells can be targeted using controlled nuclear fission reactions.

Nuclear Research: Fission reactions have an important role in research in the fields of nuclear physics and nuclear engineering. This research includes topics such as nuclear reactor design, fuel cycle management and development of nuclear energy technologies.

Nuclear Fission can be useful in energy production and medical applications when managed properly, but it also poses potential hazards that can cause serious safety concerns. Therefore, applications related to nuclear fission are generally carried out under strict regulations and safety measures.

What is Nuclear Fusion?

Nuclear fission occurs when the atom splits into two. However, Nuclear Fusion is the process by which two atoms combine through various reactions and a heavier atom emerges.

From these explanations, it is accepted that fission and fusion are two opposing processes in terms of formation.

Fusion reactors are devices that aim to obtain energy by controlling nuclear fusion reactions inspired by the energy production mechanisms of the sun and stars. These reactors generally try to obtain high capacity energy by combining hydrogen isotopes under high temperature and pressure, using fusion reactions in which light elements transform into heavier elements. These reactions involve combining atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus.

The main purpose is to artificially realize the natural process that occurs in stars like the Sun on Earth and thus unlock unlimited energy. In the simplest way, fusion reactors aim to convert hydrogen into helium by imitating the fusion mechanism of the Sun and to use the enormous energy released in a practical way.

The substances required for the Fusion Reaction are found in seawater. Additionally, as a result of this reaction, radioactive waste is not formed as in nuclear fission reactions.

What are scientists working on?

One of the methods used by scientists to create nuclear fusion is a device called tokamak.

In the system, which consists of a doughnut-shaped vacuum chamber, super magnets are used to reach temperatures of 150 to 300 million degrees and initiate nuclear fusion reactions in the fuel used.

The main advantages of fusion reactors over other energy production are:

Clean Energy Production: Fusion reactors do not release harmful gases into the atmosphere during nuclear fusion reactions and minimize the risk of producing nuclear waste.

High Energy Efficiency: Fusion reactors produce very intense energy through reactions that take place under high temperature and pressure.

Unlimited Fuel Sources: Fusion reactors use deuterium and tritium, light isotopes found on a large scale, as fuel.

However, the design and control of fusion reactors involves a very complex and challenging set of technical problems. Many technical obstacles such as high temperature, plasma stability, magnetic field control make it difficult for this technology to become commercially available. Nevertheless, fusion energy research continues in many countries and is expected to play an important role in energy production in the future.

Fusion reactors are devices that produce energy by keeping nuclear fusion reactions under control.

Basic components and operating principles of fusion reactors:

Plasma: In fusion reactors, a plasma (ionized gas under high temperature and pressure) consisting of hydrogen isotopes is created. This plasma provides the conditions necessary to fuse atomic nuclei at very high energies.

Magnetic Fields or Laser Irradiation: Magnetic fields or high-energy lasers are often used to keep the plasma stable. These fields or beams hold the plasma together, allowing fusion reactions to occur under control.

Fuel: Fusion reactors typically use light hydrogen isotopes such as deuterium and tritium as fuel. These isotopes are abundant throughout the world and provide a potentially unlimited source of energy.

Energy Production: As fusion reactions occur, hydrogen isotopes combine and form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy during this process. This energy can be used to generate electrical energy.

Hefei Institute of Physical Science in China broke a new temperature record by reaching 100 million °C with the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Nuclear Fusion Ring, called EAST.

This reactor, which is designed as an artificial sun on the basis of EAST and reaches a temperature almost 6 times higher than the sun, plans to produce energy from nuclear fusion in the future.

In terms of future use, fusion reactors are seen as a potentially clean, sustainable and highly energy efficient energy source. However, developing this technology and making it commercially available poses a number of technical challenges. Problems such as high temperature and pressure, plasma stability, magnetic field control are being studied. Currently, it appears that it will be several decades before fusion reactors are used on a commercial scale, but ongoing research and projects in many countries are making advances in this field.

In fact, scientists have long figured out the principle of nuclear reactions and have been trying to imitate them in a controlled manner since the 1930s.

However, since the energy spent to trigger this reaction is more than the energy obtained as a result of the reaction, it has not been converted into an efficient resource to date.

Countries in the world working on Fusion technology and their studies:

The "JT-60SA" reactor, which represents the joint initiative between the European Union and Japan with the aim of establishing nuclear fusion as a sustainable and clean energy source in the future, has started its official operations in Japan. In the press release made by the European Energy Commission, the support of both the EU and Japan for JT-60SA was underlined during the opening ceremony. JT-60SA achieved its first plasma production in October.

The world's largest and most advanced tokamak fusion reactor, the EU/Japanese 370-ton JT-60SA reactor, was ignited for the first time at an opening ceremony held in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.

First designed by Soviet scientists in the 1950s, tokamaks are toroidal reactors that are one of the leading approaches to becoming the first commercially viable fusion power plants. In these reactors, fusion reactions occur within a ring-shaped chamber and magnetic fields are used to trap extremely hot plasma. This experimental reactor is built to raise the temperature of the plasma to an incredible 200 million degrees Celsius and keep it there stably for just 100 seconds.

This period significantly exceeds the capacity of the larger tokamaks manufactured before it.

Although tokomaks are simple in concept and relatively easy to construct, in practice keeping them sustainable, that is, getting more energy than given, is an extremely difficult process. While Japan has been continuing the Torus-60 (JT-60) project since 1970, JT-60SA appears as the latest and largest updated or renewed version of this project.

The start of operation of the JT-60SA was celebrated with an official ceremony on 1 December 2022 by EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson and Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Masahito Moriyama. Although the improved reactor is still not close to being a practical energy generator, it is planned to be used to overcome many problems, as well as to test the materials and processes that will be needed for commercial stations.

For the last 75 years, we have been told that fusion power is only 25 years away, and billions of dollars have been spent to make it practical. Nowadays, achieving this power is only a matter of time. Countries, especially China, Japan, the EU and the USA, are carrying out various fusion projects. A net energy surplus was achieved several times, but more testing is required and these reactors are being built for this.

Conclusion

Today, since the energies obtained through Fission are obtained in Nuclear energy reactors, they can be dangerous due to nuclear accidents and the radiation they emit, but in reality fossil fuels are even more dangerous due to the carbon-based pollution they emit.

However, nuclear energy; By ensuring less use of fossil fuels, it significantly reduces the number of cancers and lung diseases. A study by NASA revealed that nuclear energy prevented 1.8 million deaths between 1976 and 2009.

While coal and oil are silently and slowly harming humanity, the effects of nuclear energy's massive and singular accidents are more noticeable, making nuclear reactors dangerous.

Daniel Kammen, a professor at Berkeley University, states that nuclear fusion could be a basically unlimited source of energy if a commercially applicable technology is developed.

In an experiment carried out at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) of the US Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), unlimited clean energy technology has reached a new milestone. In the statement made yesterday (December 13, 2022), scientists managed to overcome a major obstacle in fusion technology and obtain more energy than the energy used in the experiment.

LLNL Director Dr. Kim Budil said, “This is a historical success. "Over the past 60 years, people have contributed to this effort, and it took real vision to get us to this point," he said.

According to a report by the BBC, a major advance was made in fusion-based energy production in this experiment carried out at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), a laser-based nuclear research center in California, United States of America (USA). Scientists have achieved historic success in the future of nuclear fusion technology.

Experiment details

In the experiment with a budget of 3.5 billion dollars, a small amount of hydrogen was placed in a capsule the size of a black pepper grain, and a 192-beam laser was used to heat and compress the hydrogen fuel. The capsule can heat up to 100 million degrees Celsius. This temperature corresponds to a value even hotter than the center of the Sun.

Under this temperature and compression, hydrogen is forced to explode inward and hydrogen atoms come together and are released.

It causes rji to appear.

Announcing the important development, Deputy Director of the US National Nuclear Security Administration, Dr. Marvin Adams stated that 3.15 megajoules (MJ) of energy was produced compared to 2.05 megajoules (MJ) of energy used in the experiment.

Today, there are only 20 fusion reactors in the world, and most of them are experimental.

Recommendations for Türkiye:

Nuclear fusion technology, which is environmentally friendly as it does not produce radioactive waste, is seen as a great hope for energy sustainability in the future.

As Turkey, R&D activities should be supported by investing in energy production with Fusion technology, and research and studies on this subject should be carried out in educational institutions.

In terms of energy production, power plants that can be established on the surface of the Moon and other planets should also be included.

Since Turkey has many options regarding renewable energy or clean energy, each option must be examined and analyzed separately. Rapid training, research and production projects on suitable technologies should be addressed first.

Joint working models should also be evaluated for countries working on this subject.

It should not be forgotten that the main source of Fusion energy is sea water and there is plenty of sea water on all three sides of Turkey.

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