Abstract
Nuclear Fusion energy is one promising source of energy currently in the developmental stages with the potential to solve the world’s energy crisis by providing a clean and almost limitless supply of energy for the entire planet. This meta-study analyses the heating systems, cooling systems, energy output, heating power input, plasma volume, economic impact, plasma temperature, plasma density, plasma confinement time and Lawson’s Triple Product with respect to a variety of different nuclear fusion systems including the Wendelstein 7-X, the Helically Symmetric Stellarator Experiment, the ITER project, Joint European Torus, TFTR, IGNITOR and general information on tokamaks, stellarators as well as magnetic confinement of plasmas. Nuclear fusion is then more generally compared with four non-fusion energy sources, solar energy, wind energy, coal and hydroelectricity in terms of their overall economic impact, energy efficiency and environmental impact. Current global energy sources such as coal, oil and natural gas are briefly discussed with focus on their remaining global supply as well as their impact on the environment; this is contrasted with the remaining fuel supplies for nuclear fusion and fusion’s environmental impact. The result of this meta-study was that we found that fusion power is a long term solution to the energy crisis and so more of a focus needs to be placed globally on working to expand the use of hydroelectric power.
Highlights
Tokamaks are a form of magnetic-confinement fusion reactor in the shape of a torus developed in the Soviet Union in the 1950s
A tokamak is structured as a toroidal chamber surrounded by electromagnets which induce a current in suspended plasma
From this study we have found that energy produced from nuclear fusion can potentially be a major source of power for humanity and may hold the key to solving future energy crises
Summary
The majority of the world’s energy is currently derived from the burning of fossil fuels Fossil fuels such as oil and coal are readily available and are relatively efficient and cost effective with respect to the amount of energy that they produce. They are, a limited and non-renewable resource meaning the world will eventually run out of its major source of energy. The popularity of fossil-fuels has resulted in an enormous increase in the total quantity of CO2 in the Earth’s atmosphere This increase in atmospheric CO2 is the driving force behind global warming, it is evident that there is a serious need for the replacement of fossil-fuels with a clean and renewable alternative as the world’s primary source of energy. Evidence regarding the increase in atmospheric CO2 will be discussed in further detail in the body of this meta-study
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