Helium-3 A myth?

[bdewoody]

I first read about H-3 as a possible fusion reactor fuel back in the 1970's when I was in college. A practical fusion system was supposedly only 5-10 years from being a reality. Here we are 30 years later and as far as I know there are still no fusion reactors on line that produce more energy than they consume.<br /><br />What's the consensus around here concerning a workable fusion reactor? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em><font size="2">Bob DeWoody</font></em> </div>

 

[j05h]

He3 is not a "myth", it is a known molecule and definitely available on the moon. Whether it has any uses is a different issue. Fusion as a power source is still full of handwaving. It's always 50 years away. Yes, I know the new International Reactor is supposed to hit breakeven, but i'll believe it when I see it.<br /><br />The only fusion power that is a proven source of energy is the Sun.<br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[bdewoody]

It should have read Helium-3 as a potential fusion fuel. A myth? I got in a hurry.<br /><br />If it does become a reality all the space capable nations will be in a dogfight to stake claims on the moon. (Treaties or no treaties) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em><font size="2">Bob DeWoody</font></em> </div>

 

[ldyaidan]

I would love to see this happen. Once there is a way to make money in space, I'll bet the corporations get us there in a hurry. Wish it were different, but those with the cash are driven by greed and greed alone.

 

[owenander]

They are building a fusion reactor in France atm <br />"http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4629239.stm"

 

[nyarlathotep]

>"If it does become a reality all the space capable nations will be in a dogfight to stake claims on the moon. (Treaties or no treaties)"<br /><br />Probably not. Breeders are for atleast the next half century going to be orders of magnitude cheaper than fusion reactors. Even when fusion becomes practical, it's probably going to be cheaper to manufacture it from lithium.

 

[virusxp]

I really don't think that such a dogfight will ensue because of the simple cost of doing so. How many human-rated space capable countries are there? 3 - Russia, China and USA. Russia has already lost once when it went into Cold War with a richer country. Military costs billions, space access costs billions and the cost of military in space is simply prohibitive.<br />Considering that the fuel amounts necessary for a fusion reactor are quite trivial (comparing to coal or oil), the first wave would probably use open access policy. Anybody with the capability to get this Helium-3 would also have the rights to get it.

 

[nexium]

Helium 3 looks easier than other kinds of fusion on paper, but few tests have been done, as we hardly have enough Helium 3 to do one pilot plant. If Helium 3 from the moon or elsewhere off planet costs a million dollars an ounce, the electricity from the fusion plant will likely cost more than from coal. We won't know the costs of the imported He3, nor the fusion plant, until we have done both for a while, but it looks good on paper, if we get cheap access to space and do lots of other projects besides bringing back helium 3 from space. Neil

 

[nyarlathotep]

>"If Helium 3 from the moon or elsewhere off planet costs a million dollars an ounce, the electricity from the fusion plant will likely cost more than from coal."<br /><br />It'll also be about $900,000 per ounce more expensive than making it with lithium.

 

[nexium]

Lithium is only a few cents per ounce. How do we make Helium 3 from lithium for $100,000 per ounce? Does that include payroll, recovery of R&D costs, depriciation of the equipment, envirormental impact etc and a small profit? Neil

 

[Aetius]

I think he's talking about Lithium-6, which could also hypothetically be used to power fusion reactors.

 

[lampblack]

Is Lithium-6 abundantly available? Would companies be able to dig enough of it out of the earth to supply the world's hypothetical fusion reactors indefinitely? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[Aetius]

I don't know, but there may be issues regarding the amount of radiation created by using this kind of hypothetical fusion power source.<br /><br />Obviously, a certain fraction of Lithium found in nature happens to be the Lithium-6 isotope. The real question for me is, how common is Lithium on planet Earth?<br /><br />If it became a widespread power source, would the supply of Earthbound Lithium-6 quickly dry up?