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National Ignition Facility

All articles tagged with #national ignition facility

science-and-technology1 year ago

"Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough: Generating Double the Input Power"

Scientists at the National Ignition Facility have achieved a significant milestone in fusion energy by generating close to twice the amount of energy the system consumed, marking a major step towards a greener future. Despite the achievement, there is still a long road ahead to commercial fusion reactors, with experts expressing skepticism about its potential to address the climate crisis. The facility's unique approach involves using the world’s largest and highest-energy laser system to bombard hydrogen isotope fuel, resulting in immense temperatures. While there is room for improvement, the breakthrough has sparked hope for continued progress in the pursuit of sustainable energy sources.

via Futurism|
#climate-crisis#energy-milestone#fusion-energy
science-and-technology1 year ago

"Successful Nuclear Fusion Experiment Achieves Positive Energy Output"

After decades of work, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) experiment has achieved a breakthrough in nuclear fusion, producing more energy than was put in, marking a significant step towards achieving fusion breakeven. The experiment, which uses powerful lasers to initiate fusion, saw a release of 3.1 MegaJoules of fusion yield while requiring 2.05 MegaJoules to start, surpassing the scientific breakeven. The study also observed substantial reheating in the system, indicating the potential for creating a stable burning plasma and bringing Inertial Fusion closer to real-life power plant applications.

via IFLScience|
#breakthrough#energy#national-ignition-facility
physics1 year ago

"Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough: Exceeding Energy Input with Laser-Powered Reaction"

Scientists at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California have achieved a historic milestone in nuclear fusion energy by producing a laser-powered fusion reaction that exceeded "scientific breakeven," generating more energy than it consumed. The facility uses a technique called inertial confinement fusion, where high-powered lasers are fired at a carbon capsule containing deuterium and tritium, leading to fusion reactions. Advances in technology, including reducing asymmetries in fuel implosion and minimizing carbon contamination, have contributed to this achievement. While the fusion energy produced is currently below the electrical energy required to operate the system's lasers, further developments and improvements in efficiency could bring fusion energy closer to practical use as a sustainable and low-carbon energy source.

via Physics|
#energy#laser-powered-fusion#national-ignition-facility
science-and-technology2 years ago

"US Lab Achieves Repeated Nuclear Fusion Ignition Breakthroughs"

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Lab has achieved fusion ignition multiple times since its breakthrough in 2022. NIF uses lasers to create extreme temperatures and pressure, generating more energy from nuclear fusion than it consumes. Fusion power is considered a clean and abundant energy source, but there are still challenges to overcome before it can be widely implemented. Private companies and investors are also entering the fusion research race, hoping to provide commercial electricity within a decade. However, there are still scientific, engineering, and cost-related obstacles to overcome before fusion power becomes a reality.

via Business Insider|
#energy-research#fusion-energy#ignition
science-and-technology2 years ago

Physicist's Contribution Leads to Historic Energy Gain in Nuclear Fusion

Physicist Annie Kritcher and her team at the US Department of Energy's National Ignition Facility (NIF) achieved a major breakthrough in nuclear fusion by compressing atoms tightly enough to generate more energy than the reaction consumes, a goal that had eluded laboratories for decades. The NIF's successful experiment has sparked optimism about the future of fusion energy, which could provide a safe, clean, and almost limitless source of power. Kritcher and her team are now working on further experiments to increase fusion yields and aim to eventually develop a prototype laser fusion energy reactor.

via Nature.com|
#energy-gain#future-of-energy#national-ignition-facility
science-and-technology2 years ago

"Revolutionary Laser Fusion Achieves Unprecedented Energy Surge"

Scientists at the National Ignition Facility in California have achieved a breakthrough in nuclear fusion by generating a burst of energy using 192 lasers to bombard a hydrogen pellet. The experiment produced 3.88 megajoules of energy, surpassing expectations and indicating that laser fusion can become more efficient. However, slight variations in the lasers and fuel capsules can affect the fusion reactions, leading to inconsistent results. The facility is planning to upgrade its lasers to generate higher fusion yields and further improve efficiency.

via The New York Times|
#efficiency-improvement#energy-generation#laser-energy
science-and-technology2 years ago

"US Scientists Achieve Second Breakthrough in Fusion Power"

Scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California have achieved net energy gain in a fusion reaction for the second time since December 2022. The breakthrough was repeated in an experiment at the National Ignition Facility on July 30, producing a higher energy yield than before. Final results are still being analyzed.

via Reuters|
#energy#fusion-power#lawrence-livermore-national-laboratory
science-and-technology2 years ago

Revolutionizing Energy: The Implications of Nuclear Fusion Breakthroughs

Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have achieved a major milestone in fusion energy by igniting a fusion reaction that produced more energy than was used to trigger it. However, it will still be years before fusion power progress bears fruit, and it's still not clear if fusion will ever be cheap enough to radically transform our power grid. Most commercial fusion energy projects are using various forms of magnetic confinement, not NIF's laser-based approach, so the engineering challenges are different. Lowering fusion's cost is critical to its success since it'll have to compete against zero-carbon alternatives like today's fission-based nuclear reactors that can generate a steady supply of power and renewables like wind and solar that are cheaper but intermittent.

via CNET|
#fusion-energy#green-energy#national-ignition-facility
science2 years ago

Pressure-Driven Ionization Explored in Experiments and Laser Demonstrations

Scientists have conducted laboratory experiments at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) that provide new insights on the complex process of pressure-driven ionization in giant planets and stars. The international research team utilized the world's largest and most energetic laser, the National Ignition Facility (NIF), to generate the extreme conditions necessary for pressure-driven ionization. By recreating extreme conditions similar to those inside giant planets and stars, the team was able to observe changes in material properties and electron structure that are not captured by current models. The research also has significant implications for inertial confinement fusion experiments at NIF, where X-ray absorption and compressibility are key parameters for optimizing high-performance fusion experiments.

via Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (.gov)|
#astrophysics#laboratory-experiments#lawrence-livermore-national-laboratory
physics2 years ago

Pressure-Driven Laser Technology Advancements.

Researchers at the National Ignition Facility have used X-ray Thomson scattering to observe the onset of pressure-driven K-shell delocalization in beryllium, a phenomenon that occurs at gigabar pressures and is important for understanding the behavior of high energy density plasmas. The team used a target designed specifically for X-ray Thomson scattering experiments and a high-efficiency, gated spectrometer to measure the scattering spectra. The results provide insight into the behavior of matter at extreme densities and pressures, which is relevant for astrophysical and fusion energy research.

via Nature.com|
#gigabar-pressures#high-energy-density-plasmas#national-ignition-facility