Breakthrough in Nuclear Fusion Energy Explained

For the first time in history, net energy has been released from a controlled nuclear fusion reaction on Earth. This was achieved by the National Ignition Facility on the 5th of December 2022 using Inertial Confinement Fusion. This video will show you how they did it and what it really means.

Animations courtesy of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory:
@LivermoreLab

Sources:

Thanks to the Fusion community on Reddit for the help!
r/Fusion

#fusion #energy #breakthrough

[m.wilkinson]

Really well-made video. You made the science of all this sound interesting and more accessible. Normally a lot of people when discussing things just say opinions but here you actually supported what you were saying from actual research. Keep it up man!

[zeon]

And a electrical generating fusion power plant is still 20 years always will be. Thanks for this level headed video.

[FennessyMusic]

I think what Helion is doing is more promising. The NIF setup simply proves what we already knew - that fusion on earth is possible and that done correctly you can get a net gain in energy.
What this facility will never do is repeat this several times per second and sustain a chain reaction so we can actually use that net gain in any meaningful way. The ITER plant is in the same boat in my opinion and I think we should be starting backwards as Helion are doing and focusing on how to use the energy we gain

[samann]

Does this consider the energy required to produce the pellets and other apparatus that are needed?

[loiskimberleyplayer]

Great video - thank you for such an accessible breakdown of this!

[super_hero]

So basically it took us like 60 years to achieve 1.5 Qsci now we need 10-20 times that for it to be economical….

[mleeriley]

Young man, your voice is perfect for media as is your appearance. You make understanding complicated science easy. God Bless you.

[waynearrington]

A well made video. I had thought that the news of the NIF achievement might mean that we are just 19 years away from fusion power and will be so for the next 19 years. However I'm now convinced that we are 40 years away from commercial fusion power and will be so for the next 40 years. ITER and Helion notwithstanding.

[craigsymington]

I am fascinated by this bleeding edge stuff. I find you easy to listen to. I love these expensive toys, sadly I'm no longer involved with big budget projects and genius people. Keep up the good work. Also, did I mention you speak well 😎

[Maelkes]

Great video. I was following the helion project as well. I suppose we are on the cusp of commercial fusion energy viability.

[modifiedunlimited]

Really like what you are doing. Please keep up the great work and please keep it honest. Thank you

[RobinOfTheWest]

Glass lasers can only be fired infrequenly or they overheat and self- destruct. LANL's KrF (248nm) Aurora Fusion Laser reached breakeven in July 1991 - LANL's Laser Fusion funding evaporated exactly one month later.

[limouzine]

Great video! It is interesting to know that we do not need to be too optimistic yet.

[human_isomer]

This was quite well explained without losing to much detail and doing too much simplification. However, I don't think we will see fusion reactors based on this method, as it is really difficult to up-scale this specific setup, and getting a good efficiency. And I think, generating power is actually not even the original intention of the facility.

[threeMetreJim]

Not much more than a miniature copy of the second stage of a thermonuclear weapon, but without any fission materials. Exactly what the lab was set up to study, to get around the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

[Andruu]

Great explanation without the "eureka hype" thnx

[mantasbiknius]

There is one problem no one is talking about. Inercial confinement systems have a huge problem - heat removal. Although the idea of making steam makes sence, how exactly this is to be done - not yet known. Rather rapid pulsations from fusion reactions (the "explosions") will have a dramatic effect on the vessel, and an exact method of removing heat from such a process is still unclear. Rather sceptical despite modern lasers etc. This should be looked into!

[dallasclark]

Basically this breakthrough is the most inefficient way possible

[nicolaslacombe]

In essence, yall found a way to increase light waves. Incredible!

[МихайлоСєльський]

So, nuclear fusion is finally only 29 years away.