Lecture

Nuclear Fusion: Creating a Star on Earth

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

In course

HUM-123(b): Global issues: energy B

Le cours abordera les grandes problématiques technologiques et socio-économiques liées à la transition énergétique, ainsi que les perspectives et barrières à l'établissement d'un système énergétique durable. ...

Description

This lecture explores the potential future energy sources within the context of energy transition, emphasizing the importance of fusion energy. It covers the principles of fusion, the role of plasma, the advantages of fusion energy, and the challenges faced in achieving fusion on Earth, with a focus on the ITER project. The presentation delves into the scientific and technological challenges, the progress in magnetic confinement fusion, and the contributions of EPFL to the ITER project. The lecture also discusses the benefits of fusion energy, such as its high energy density, practically inexhaustible fuel sources, environmental friendliness, safety, and concentrated energy output.

Instructors (2)

Tuong-Van Nguyen

Teaching & PhD Courses Energy conversion and renewable energy ME-409 This course presents an overview of (i) the current energy system and uses (ii) the main principles of conventional and renewable energy technologies and (iii) the most important parameters that define their efficiency, costs and environmental impacts. The Energy Transition : challenges and opportunities HUM-293 This course explores the energy transition from a system based on fossil fuels to a model based o

Selin Yilmaz

Teaching & PhD Past EPFL PhD Students as codirector Matteo Barsanti Courses The Energy Transition : challenges and opportunities HUM-293 This course explores the energy transition from a system based on fossil fuels to a model based on decarbonised energy sources, sobriety and efficiency, and highlights the main technological, socio-economic and geopolitical issues involved.

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Physics

Plasma physics: Fusion power

Environmental science

Environmental policy: Topics in environmental policy

Related concepts (32)

Sustainable energy

Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Most definitions of sustainable energy include considerations of environmental aspects such as greenhouse gas emissions and social and economic aspects such as energy poverty. Renewable energy sources such as wind, hydroelectric power, solar, and geothermal energy are generally far more sustainable than fossil fuel sources.

Renewable energy

Renewable energy is energy from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. Renewable resources include sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy sources are sustainable, some are not. For example, some biomass sources are considered unsustainable at current rates of exploitation. Renewable energy is often used for electricity generation, heating and cooling.

Energy development

Energy development is the field of activities focused on obtaining sources of energy from natural resources. These activities include the production of renewable, nuclear, and fossil fuel derived sources of energy, and for the recovery and reuse of energy that would otherwise be wasted. Energy conservation and efficiency measures reduce the demand for energy development, and can have benefits to society with improvements to environmental issues.

Fusion power

Fusion power is a proposed form of power generation that would generate electricity by using heat from nuclear fusion reactions. In a fusion process, two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, while releasing energy. Devices designed to harness this energy are known as fusion reactors. Research into fusion reactors began in the 1940s, but as of 2023, no device has reached net power. Fusion processes require fuel and a confined environment with sufficient temperature, pressure, and confinement time to create a plasma in which fusion can occur.

Renewable energy commercialization

Renewable energy commercialization involves the deployment of three generations of renewable energy technologies dating back more than 100 years. First-generation technologies, which are already mature and economically competitive, include biomass, hydroelectricity, geothermal power and heat. Second-generation technologies are market-ready and are being deployed at the present time; they include solar heating, photovoltaics, wind power, solar thermal power stations, and modern forms of bioenergy.

Related lectures (64)

Nuclear Fusion: Creating Stars on Earth

Covers nuclear fusion as a sustainable energy source and its potential to create stars on Earth through advanced research and technology.

The Basics of Fusion Energy

Introduces fusion energy basics, covering plasma generation, fusion reactions, and environmental advantages of fusion energy.

Fusion Energy: Challenges and Solutions

Discusses the importance of energy for development, the need for alternative energy sources, and the potential of fusion energy.

Fusion Nuclear: Energy Source of Stars

Explores nuclear fusion as an environmentally friendly, abundant, and sustainable energy source, discussing its advantages, operating principles, and challenges.

The Sun: Fusion Reactor MOOC: Plasma Physics: Applications