For decades, government scientists have toiled away trying to make nuclear fusion work. Will commercial companies sprint to the finish?

  • evatronic@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    11 months ago

    I’m constantly amazed that we’re working on super advanced power generation techniques… that still use steam to spin turbines.

    It feels like we should be doing something cooler, like plasma conduits from Star Trek.

    • QuinceDaPence@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      11 months ago

      Just about the best way to do it for an external ‘combustion’ heat engine. Stirling engines can be used in some cases but in most cases steam ends up being the better option.

      We spent centuries getting really good at using steam for getting work out of ‘hot thing’.

    • davidgro@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      11 months ago

      Look into what Helion Energy is doing. Not saying it will or won’t work, but they plan to extract the energy directly from the plasma electromagnetically.