Search for the Ultimate Energy Source

Search for the Ultimate Energy Source PDF

Author: Stephen O. Dean

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-01-05

Total Pages: 271

ISBN-13: 1461460379

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Why has the clean, limitless energy promised by fusion always seemed just out of reach? Search for the Ultimate Energy Source: A History of the U.S. Fusion Energy Program, explains the fundamentals and concepts behind fusion power, and traces the development of fusion historically by decade—covering its history as dictated by US government policies, its major successes, and its prognosis for the future. The reader will gain an understanding of how the development of fusion has been shaped by changing government priorities as well as other hurdles currently facing realization of fusion power. Advance Praise for Search for the Ultimate Energy Source: “Dr. Dean has been uniquely involved in world fusion research for decades and, in this book, describes the complicated realities like few others possibly could.” -Robert L. Hirsch, a former director of the US fusion program, an Assistant Administrator of the US Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA); an executive at Exxon, Arco, and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI); and lead author of the book The Impending World Energy Mess (Apogee Prime Books, 2009). “In this book, Dr. Dean provides the many reasons why fusion has progressed more slowly than many had hoped. Budget is usually cited as the culprit, but policy is equally to blame. Facilities have been closed down before their jobs were done—or in some cases, even started. It seems this situation has become endemic in fusion, and if one thinks about it, in other nationally important Science and Technology initiatives as well.” -William R. Ellis, a former scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Associate Director of Research at the US Naval Research Laboratory, a vice president at Ebasco Services and at Raytheon, and chair of the US ITER Industry Council and the US ITER Industrial Consortium.

Thermal Energy

Thermal Energy PDF

Author: Yatish T. Shah

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2018-01-12

Total Pages: 1574

ISBN-13: 1315305933

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The book details sources of thermal energy, methods of capture, and applications. It describes the basics of thermal energy, including measuring thermal energy, laws of thermodynamics that govern its use and transformation, modes of thermal energy, conventional processes, devices and materials, and the methods by which it is transferred. It covers 8 sources of thermal energy: combustion, fusion (solar) fission (nuclear), geothermal, microwave, plasma, waste heat, and thermal energy storage. In each case, the methods of production and capture and its uses are described in detail. It also discusses novel processes and devices used to improve transfer and transformation processes.

The American Lab

The American Lab PDF

Author: C. Bruce Tarter

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 2018-08

Total Pages: 467

ISBN-13: 1421425319

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"In The American Lab, former LLNL director Bruce Tarter captures the spirit of the Laboratory and its reflection of the broader world in which it thrived. He identifies the major themes that have characterized science and technology in the latter half of the twentieth century--the growth and decline of nuclear warheads, the unprecedented rise of supercomputing technology, laser systems, fusion, and mass spectrometry. He illuminates the Cold War dynamic from the participants' point of view--an unusual and valuable perspective on nuclear history. The story of the laboratory is a tale of three eras. Although the Lab took its research vision from European Edward Teller, its modus operandi came almost exclusively from namesake Ernest Lawrence and was subsequently invented in-house by its scientists and staff. During its first two decades the Lab's focus was almost entirely on nuclear weapons research and development, with a few other smaller enterprises that were technically related to the nuclear weapons activities. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Laboratory, along with many others in the Department of Energy complex, expanded into civilian pursuits that included energy, environment, biology, and basic science. A major program in laser science and technology became a cornerstone of this period. The third era was initiated by the end of the Cold War and saw the transformation of the traditional nuclear weapons activities into the stockpile stewardship program along with the rapid growth of projects that can be broadly characterized as homeland security. Tarter's history/memoir of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, provides an insider's examination of nuclear science in the Cold War and the technological shift that occurred after the fall of the Berlin Wall."--Provided by publisher.

The Fairy Tale of Nuclear Fusion

The Fairy Tale of Nuclear Fusion PDF

Author: L. J. Reinders

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-05-20

Total Pages: 628

ISBN-13: 3030643441

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This carefully researched book presents facts and arguments showing, beyond a doubt, that nuclear fusion power will not be technically feasible in time to satisfy the world's urgent need for climate-neutral energy. The author describes the 70-year history of nuclear fusion; the vain attempts to construct an energy-generating nuclear fusion power reactor, and shows that even in the most optimistic scenario nuclear fusion, in spite of the claims of its proponents, will not be able to make a sizable contribution to the energy mix in this century, whatever the outcome of ITER. This implies that fusion power will not be a factor in combating climate change, and that the race to save the climate with carbon-free energy will have been won or lost long before the first nuclear fusion power station comes on line. Aimed at the general public as well as those whose decisions directly affect energy policy, this book will be a valuable resource for informing future debates.

Sun in a Bottle?... Pie in the Sky!

Sun in a Bottle?... Pie in the Sky! PDF

Author: L. J. Reinders

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-07-31

Total Pages: 292

ISBN-13: 3030747344

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This book gives an accessible overview of the 70-year history of nuclear fusion research and the vain attempts to construct an energy-generating nuclear fusion reactor. It shows that even in the most optimistic scenario nuclear fusion, despite the claims of its proponents and the billions being spent on research, will not be able to make a sizable contribution to the energy mix in this century. The important consequence is that nuclear fusion will not be a factor in combating climate change, since the race for carbon-free energy will have been won or lost long before the first nuclear fusion power station comes on line.

Radioactivity in the Environment

Radioactivity in the Environment PDF

Author: Vlado Valkovic

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2019-04-17

Total Pages: 810

ISBN-13: 0444642137

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Radioactivity in the Environment, Second Edition, presents the facts on the presence of both natural and manmade radionuclides in the environment. Sources of ionizing radiation that can lead to human exposure are discussed, including natural sources, nuclear explosions, nuclear power generation, the use of radiation in medical, industrial and research purposes, and radiation-emitting consumer products. In this thoroughly updated edition, users will find new sections on developments in radioactive nuclides in nature and technologically modified exposure to natural radiation, new threats by terrorist individuals, groups and countries, changes to the status of nuclear power in the world, and more. Additional new sections cover radioisotopes in geo-prospecting and the oil industry, the use of radiation in environmental protection, detector types and detectors used for personal dosimetry, the "Dirty Bomb", the Fukushima accident, and North Korea testing sites and nuclear capabilities. Includes details of analytical laboratory procedures for radioactivity measurement in different samples Features a new chapter on decontamination after radiation exposure Expands the discussion on nuclear fusion to cover ITER and other installations

Routledge Handbook of Energy Law

Routledge Handbook of Energy Law PDF

Author: Tina Hunter

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2020-04-27

Total Pages: 721

ISBN-13: 042983506X

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The Routledge Handbook of Energy Law provides a definitive global survey of the discipline of Energy Law, capturing the essential and relevant issues in Energy today. Each chapter is written by a leading expert, and provides a contemporary overview of a significant area within the field. The book is divided into six geographical regions based on continents, with a separate section on Russia, an energy powerhouse that straddles both Europe and Asia. Each section contains highly topical chapters from authors who address a number of core themes in Energy Law and Regulation: • Energy security and the role of markets • Regulating the growth of renewable energy • Regulating shifts in traditional forms of energy • Instruments in regulating disputes in energy • Impact of energy on the environment • Key issues in the future of energy and regulation. Offering an analysis of the full spectrum of current issues in Energy Law, the Routledge Handbook of Energy Law is an essential resource for advanced students, researchers, academics, legal practitioners and industry experts. Chapter 12 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Iter Physics

Iter Physics PDF

Author: C Wendell Horton, Jr

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2015-06-25

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13: 9814678686

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The promise of a vast and clean source of thermal power drove physics research for over fifty years and has finally come to collimation with the international consortium led by the European Union and Japan, with an agreement from seven countries to build a definitive test of fusion power in ITER. It happened because scientists since the Manhattan project have envisioned controlled nuclear fusion in obtaining energy with no carbon dioxide emissions and no toxic nuclear waste products.This large toroidal magnetic confinement ITER machine is described from confinement process to advanced physics of plasma-wall interactions, where pulses erupt from core plasma blistering the machine walls. Emissions from the walls reduce the core temperature which must remain ten times hotter than the 15 million degree core solar temperature to maintain ITER fusion power. The huge temperature gradient from core to wall that drives intense plasma turbulence is described in detail.Also explained are the methods designed to limit the growth of small magnetic islands, the growth of edge localized plasma plumes and the solid state physics limits of the stainless steel walls of the confinement vessel from the burning plasma. Designs of the wall coatings and the special 'exhaust pipe' for spent hot plasma are provided in two chapters. And the issues associated with high-energy neutrons — about 10 times higher than in fission reactions — and how they are managed in ITER, are detailed.

Invention and Innovation

Invention and Innovation PDF

Author: Vaclav Smil

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2023-02-14

Total Pages: 227

ISBN-13: 0262374250

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From the New York Times-bestselling author, a new volume on the history of human ingenuity—and its attendant breakthroughs and busts. The world is never finished catching up with Vaclav Smil. In his latest and perhaps most readable book, Invention and Innovation, the prolific author—a favorite of Bill Gates—pens an insightful and fact-filled jaunt through the history of human invention. Impatient with the hype that so often accompanies innovation, Smil offers in this book a clear-eyed corrective to the overpromises that accompany everything from new cures for diseases to AI. He reminds us that even after we go quite far along the invention-development-application trajectory, we may never get anything real to deploy. Or worse, even after we have succeeded by introducing an invention, its future may be marked by underperformance, disappointment, demise, or outright harm. Drawing on his vast breadth of scientific and historical knowledge, Smil explains the difference between invention and innovation. He then looks at three different types of inventions. Inventions that failed to dominate as promised: Airships Nuclear fission Supersonic flight Inventions that turned disastrous: Leaded gasoline DDT Chlorofluorocarbons Inventions we have long been promised (and that would be highly beneficial): Travel in vacuum (hyperloop) Nitrogen-fixing cereals Nuclear fusion Finally, he offers a “wish list” of inventions that we most urgently need to confront the staggering challenges of the twenty-first century. Filled with engaging examples and pragmatic approaches, this book is a sobering account of the folly that so often attends human ingenuity—and how we can, and must, better align our expectations with reality.

Ideal MHD

Ideal MHD PDF

Author: Jeffrey P. Freidberg

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2014-06-26

Total Pages: 743

ISBN-13: 1107006252

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Comprehensive, self-contained, and clearly written, this book describes the macroscopic equilibrium and stability of high temperature plasmas.