Helion Energy has an update on their project to achieve commercial nuclear fusion.
Helion Energy uses Magneto-Inertial Fusion: By combining the stability of steady magnetic fusion and the heating of pulsed inertial fusion, a commercially practical system has been realized that is smaller and lower cost than existing programs.
They want to create modular, distributed Power using shipping container sized, 50 Megawatt modules for base load power generation. (Nextbigfuture note - The longest shipping containers are 17 meters long and Helion talks about being 25-28 meters long)
They are using Self-Supplied Helium 3 Fusion. It is pulsed, D-He3 fusion simplifies the engineering of a fusion power plant, lowers costs, and is even cleaner than traditional fusion.
Magnetic Compression: Fuel is compressed and heated purely by magnetic fields operated with modern solid state electronics.
This eliminates inefficient, expensive laser, piston, or beam techniques used by other fusion approaches.
Direct Energy Conversion: Enabled by pulsed operation, efficient direct conversion decreases plant costs and fusion’s engineering challenges.
It is safe: With no possibility of melt-down, or hazardous nuclear waste, fusion dose not suffer the drawbacks that make fission an unattractive alternative.
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Helion plans to substantially improve their Fusion Engine for 2016 and have commercially capable system by 2019
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Helion Energy uses Magneto-Inertial Fusion: By combining the stability of steady magnetic fusion and the heating of pulsed inertial fusion, a commercially practical system has been realized that is smaller and lower cost than existing programs.
They want to create modular, distributed Power using shipping container sized, 50 Megawatt modules for base load power generation. (Nextbigfuture note - The longest shipping containers are 17 meters long and Helion talks about being 25-28 meters long)
They are using Self-Supplied Helium 3 Fusion. It is pulsed, D-He3 fusion simplifies the engineering of a fusion power plant, lowers costs, and is even cleaner than traditional fusion.
Magnetic Compression: Fuel is compressed and heated purely by magnetic fields operated with modern solid state electronics.
This eliminates inefficient, expensive laser, piston, or beam techniques used by other fusion approaches.
Direct Energy Conversion: Enabled by pulsed operation, efficient direct conversion decreases plant costs and fusion’s engineering challenges.
It is safe: With no possibility of melt-down, or hazardous nuclear waste, fusion dose not suffer the drawbacks that make fission an unattractive alternative.
Read more »
