Materials for Advanced Energy Technologies

Abstract

The recovery and processing of industrial materials required about 16 percent of the total U.S. energy consumption in 1974. The interdependence of energy and materials has been increasing and will continue to increase as the more easily won raw materials are exhausted and as the energy conversion and utilization schemes become more sophisticated. The author stresses the materials technology that will be required in major developing systems for extracting, converting, distributing, and using energy--emphasizing that development of suitable materials often takes many years. A detailed schematic is shown that represents the energy sources; methods of processing, conversion, transmission, and storage; and forms of fuel energy that may exist in the near term, up to about 1990. The schematic indicates that uranium, gas, coal, and oil will probably still contribute more than 95 percent of the total energy flow in 1990. For the near term, coal liquefaction, coal gasification, water-moderated reactors, municipal waste, high-temperature turbines, and geothermal will contribute up to 5 percent. For the midterm, 1990 to 2005, fast breeder reactors, photovoltaic conversion of solar energy to electricity, MHD, and flywheels should contribute significantly. The projections for controlled fusion in the year 2005 and beyond are summarized. The magnitude ofmore » the problem involves sustained effort from universities, industrial organizations, and government laboratories, guided by close interplay with energy system designers. (MCW)« less