Fusionstechnologie

Fusionstechnologie refers to the development of technologies aimed at harnessing nuclear fusion as a source of energy. Nuclear fusion is the process where two or more light atomic nuclei combine to form one or more different atomic nuclei and subatomic particles. This process releases a significant amount of energy, far greater than that of nuclear fission.

The primary goal of fusion technology is to replicate the energy-generating process of stars on Earth. This involves creating and sustaining extremely high temperatures and pressures, typically in the millions of degrees Celsius, to overcome the electrostatic repulsion between atomic nuclei. At these temperatures, matter exists as a plasma, a state where electrons are stripped from atoms.

Two main approaches are being pursued for fusion power generation: magnetic confinement fusion (MCF) and inertial confinement fusion (ICF). MCF uses powerful magnetic fields to contain the hot plasma in a toroidal (doughnut-shaped) or other configuration, preventing it from touching the reactor walls. Tokamaks and stellarators are common designs in MCF research. ICF, on the other hand, uses intense lasers or particle beams to rapidly compress and heat a small pellet of fusion fuel, causing it to implode and initiate fusion reactions before it can expand.

The main fuel for terrestrial fusion reactors is isotopes of hydrogen, specifically deuterium and tritium. Deuterium is readily available in seawater, while tritium can be bred from lithium, which is also relatively abundant. The successful development of fusion technology promises a virtually inexhaustible, clean, and safe energy source, with no long-lived radioactive waste and a low risk of runaway reactions. However, achieving sustained, net energy gain remains a significant scientific and engineering challenge.