On Feburary 28^th 2012, our class took a little field trip to the MIT plasma and fusion center. It is, in fact as nerdy as it sounds. Which is pretty awesome! I think that nuclear fusion is immensely powerful, and if we could come to practice it effectively, our world would be much cleaner.

 

When was this crazy concept brought about? Well, it is not so crazy…

Now –a- days we think ,we think about everything first. However, in the case of nuclear fusion, it was thought of in 1868 at the Novosibirsk conference held in Siberia. The Tokomak coils were introduced by the VRUSSSIANNZZZ YAH. Tokomaks created currents around the upper coil. 5 Tesla= 100,000 times the Earth’s field, which was worked on for decades, to burn hydrogen and create helium as waste.

 

First I will explain what nuclear fusion is:

It is natural! It happens in the stars and sun, while releasing energy that keeps them radiant and glowing! The stars and sun are made up of plasma. Also, florescent lights. However with nuclear fusion, plasma is contained within a torus shape. A torus looks like a doughnut. This plasma, which is 2mg, is heated up at 10,000x the heating waves of a microwave. That is intense. This process also entails fusing together 2 hydrogen nuclei……no big thing..Plasma is magnetically confined.

 

But why would we want to master this?

1.Because Plasma can be worked as an energy.

2. Waste processing would be so much easier! We are able to confine radioactive wastes to tiny fragments. Emissions reductions waste.

3. Fuel reforming: on-board hydrogen processing, we would not have to depend so desperately.

 

I learned a few terminology differences along the way of the tour and such, that I found interesting. I believe I recorded this information because of the delicate difference in fusion,phison, phusion etc, that , as an English major I have never quite grasped:

Phision= Breaking large atoms apart, nuclear process, releases energy.

Phision= Atomic bomb. This sh*t’s crayyyyzeeee.

Fusion= Hydrogen bomb, which is very very destructive.

 

After the lecture, where I recorded somewhat comprehendible notes, the Suffolk group was herded towards a building across the street. In this shockingly bland looking building (compared to the lively looking dorms), there was a ton of cool gadgets.  The boys were acting even more impulsively than usual, touching surfaces and such. I mean, room after room, this place was filled with neat, innovative machinery.  The very bolts that keep the fusion machine together are MASSIVE.

If I remember correctly there is 84-90 bolts around each end of the machine. There was a great screen in the operating room, which had a picture of the fusion occurring. Very cool. While lingering around, we were informed of the lack-there of funding for the continuation of the research. MIT has been given the short end of the stick from the government. Most of the research will continue in Europe, especially France, where the ITER is based, and scientist are building the ultimate nuclear fusion machine. I might be making up the precise name of the structure. But, MIT is an important aid to this development. They are constantly in cahoots with the Frenchies and such, with the further development of the machinery. This is a global movement to a cleaner place for all of us. And, nuclear fusion is very important.  I certainly will pay attention to its development, and support the cause!