3 ms·

Regarding point 2, the only drawback I'm aware of with D-T fusion is that it still produces nuclear waste (whereas aneutronic fusion produces zero/close to zero

Regarding point 2, the only drawback I'm aware of with D-T fusion is that it still produces nuclear waste (whereas aneutronic fusion produces zero/close to zero nuclear waste), however the nuclear waste produced by D-T fusion is said to be: * Smaller in size than the nuclear waste produced by the current approaches to nuclear fission. * Has a shorter half life than spent nuclear fission fuel, meaning that it doesn't take as long before it's safe to take it out of storage. Aside from nuclear waste, are there other drawbacks to D-T fusion that people should be aware of?

DennisP 9y ago
Concern about tritium leaks, the need for tritium breeding which limits how fast you can build new reactors, hard neutron radiation that theoretically could be used to breed fissiles (but only if you have a high-enough tritium breeding ratio to keep the reactor fueled, despite not using all your neutrons for that), and the need for a steam turbine, which means you're not going to achieve the extremely low costs that may be achievable with aneutronic fusion. Which doesn't mean D-T is hopeless, just not as good as aneutronic. I've seen fusion scientists say the waste from D-T reactors would only need to be contained for several decades.
- ZenoArrow 9y ago
  > "the need for a steam turbine" Where's the steam turbine in the following fusion approach? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dense_plasma_focus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dense_plasma_focus https://lppfusion.com/fusion-power/dpf-device/ https://lppfusion.com/fusion-power/dpf-device/
  - DennisP 9y ago
    Exactly, that one's aneutronic.
    - ZenoArrow 9y ago
      It can use both D-T and pB11. The majority of tests to date have been with D-T. It's best not to confuse the reactor design with the target fuel.
      - DennisP 9y ago
        Actually pure deuterium in the tests so far. But the design explicitly targets boron fusion. If it were adapted to D-T, then it would in fact need a steam turbine. The great thing about pB11 is that most of the energy output is fast-moving charged particles, and that's not true of D-T.
IntronExon 9y ago
Sputtering of the metal in the reactor due to fast neutrons, leading to embrittlement, large amounts of neutron activated waste, and an unreasonable maintenance schedule. Lost energy due to said neutrons. Plus all of what has been said before me by DennisP.

DennisP 9y ago

Concern about tritium leaks, the need for tritium breeding which limits how fast you can build new reactors, hard neutron radiation that theoretically could be used to breed fissiles (but only if you have a high-enough tritium breeding ratio to keep the reactor fueled, despite not using all your neutrons for that), and the need for a steam turbine, which means you're not going to achieve the extremely low costs that may be achievable with aneutronic fusion. Which doesn't mean D-T is hopeless, just not as good as aneutronic. I've seen fusion scientists say the waste from D-T reactors would only need to be contained for several decades.

ZenoArrow 9y ago
> "the need for a steam turbine" Where's the steam turbine in the following fusion approach? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dense_plasma_focus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dense_plasma_focus https://lppfusion.com/fusion-power/dpf-device/ https://lppfusion.com/fusion-power/dpf-device/
- DennisP 9y ago
  Exactly, that one's aneutronic.
  - ZenoArrow 9y ago
    It can use both D-T and pB11. The majority of tests to date have been with D-T. It's best not to confuse the reactor design with the target fuel.
    - DennisP 9y ago
      Actually pure deuterium in the tests so far. But the design explicitly targets boron fusion. If it were adapted to D-T, then it would in fact need a steam turbine. The great thing about pB11 is that most of the energy output is fast-moving charged particles, and that's not true of D-T.

IntronExon 9y ago

Sputtering of the metal in the reactor due to fast neutrons, leading to embrittlement, large amounts of neutron activated waste, and an unreasonable maintenance schedule. Lost energy due to said neutrons. Plus all of what has been said before me by DennisP.