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Fusion reactors turn themselves into radioactive waste. Neutron radiation is inherent to nuclear fusion and when previously stable non-radioactive substances a
by catalogia 7y ago
Fusion reactors turn themselves into radioactive waste. Neutron radiation is inherent to nuclear fusion and when previously stable non-radioactive substances are subjected to neutron radiation, they may absorb some of those neutrons and become radioactive. (This is called neutron activation.) Some materials are less prone to this than others and that would be considered during the construction of a production fusion reactor, but even so components of the reactor would likely become so radioactive that the only way to perform maintenance on the reactor would be robotics. And when the reactor eventually needs to be decommissioned, it needs to be treated accordingly.
- tempestn 7y agoI wasn't aware of these issues. Did some searching and found this article that covers them (and others) in detail: https://thebulletin.org/2017/04/fusion-reactors-not-what-theyre-cracked-up-to-be/ https://thebulletin.org/2017/04/fusion-reactors-not-what-the...
- joey_bob 7y agoThis talk from the MIT fusion lab lays out some approaches they have for solving problems in current fusion reactor design, in particular dealing with the radiation problem in a cost-effective manner. https://youtu.be/KkpqA8yG9T4 https://youtu.be/KkpqA8yG9T4
- pfdietz 7y agoThe ARC reactor is still unacceptably large and expensive. Its volumetric power density is still a factor of 40 worse than a PWR primary reactor vessel.
- tandr 7y ago> And when the reactor eventually needs to be decommissioned, it needs to be treated accordingly. by that time putting it on a Starship, and sending it to the Sun might become a feasible option.