Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

The lack of major radioactive waste is a plus, only the pipes and stuff inside the core of the reactor will have radioactive elements due to neutron activation. The only waste from it otherwise is helium (and tritium, which is re-used in the reaction later).


isn't helium valuable? seems like a good "waste" to produce


Yeah that's GP's point by the 'only'. It's 'waste' as in a byproduct.

It's part of the reason fusion's so sought after - it doesn't result in anything bad or that has to be carefully sequestered.

(Apart from extraordinary heat I suppose. Perhaps there's an argument the actual reactor would always be a pretty risky place. But any incident isolated at least, worst case a remote industrial building burns down beyond economical repair.)


The temperature is high but the amount of heat is no different than other thermal power plants. The atoms move very fast, but there aren't many of them.


Safe airships for all!


Very little will be produced. Indeed, a fusion reactor may leak more He from its cryo system than it creates.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: