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A fusion energy gain factor, usually expressed with the symbol Q, is the ratio of fusion power produced in a nuclear fusion reactor to the power required to maintain the plasma in steady state. The condition of Q = 1, when the power being released by the fusion reactions is equal to the required heating power, is referred to as breakeven , or ...
Assuming the energy required scales with the mass of the fusion plasma (E laser ~ ρR 3 ~ ρ −2), compressing the fuel to 10 3 or 10 4 times solid density would reduce the energy required by a factor of 10 6 or 10 8, bringing it into a realistic range.
This is quantified by the Lawson criterion. [2] Ignition can also be defined by the fusion energy gain factor. [3] In the laboratory, fusion ignition defined by the Lawson criterion was first achieved in August 2021, [4] and ignition defined by the energy gain factor was achieved in December 2022, [5] [6] both by the U.S. National Ignition ...
Yes, NIF produced 3.15 million joules of fusion energy–enough to boil 10 teapots of water–with just 2 million joules of laser energy in its watershed 2022 ignition. But applying that laser ...
On December 13, 2022, the US Department of Energy reported that researchers at the National Ignition Facility had achieved a net energy gain from a fusion reaction. The reaction of hydrogen fuel at the facility produced about 3.15 MJ of energy while consuming 2.05 MJ of input.
Comparing the driver energy input to the fusion energy output produces a number known as fusion energy gain factor, labelled Q. A Q value of at least 1 is required for the system to produce net energy. Since some energy is needed to run the reactor, in order for there to be net electrical output, Q has to be at least 3. [6]
It achieved the first instance of scientific breakeven controlled fusion in an experiment on December 5, 2022, with an energy gain factor of 1.5. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] It supports nuclear weapon maintenance and design by studying the behavior of matter under the conditions found within nuclear explosions.
Research using data from NSTX and MAST appears to confirm the supposition that for similar values of field and fusion power, but smaller volume, STs can demonstrate a fusion triple product of up to a factor of three higher and a fusion power gain of an order of magnitude higher than tokamaks. [31]