Can Fusion Generate Electricity? Why & How

Fusion is the combination of two nuclei to form a heavy nucleus. Let us discuss whether a fusion can generate electricity in this article.

Fusion can generate electricity by converting nuclear energy to electric energy. The nuclei produced during the fusion possess a huge amount of stored potential energy as the mass of the daughter nuclei increases and the energy is directly proportional to the mass of the matter.

The heat energy generated by the fusion reaction is also used to run turbines and generators to convert the heat energy into electrical energy. We shall further discuss how nuclear fusion can generate electricity in detail and also we shall elaborate on the fact that why fusion is not used to generate electricity.

How can nuclear fusion generate electricity?

Nuclear fusion generates a huge amount of energy and the nuclei generated in fusion have huge energy. Let us discuss how this energy can be utilized to generate electricity.

Nuclear fusion generates electricity by converting the nuclear energy derived from the fusion reaction to electric energy by using specially designed reactors. The heat energy generated by nuclear fusion is converted into the mechanical energy used to run the turbines and produce the electric current.

The heat energy is generated due to the neutron collision that releases the extra energy after binding by omitting the neutrons. Also, there is friction between the particles that produce heat. The heat energy is stored by using cooling baths or released in the seawater that generates steam used to run the turbine.

What Are the Main Differences Between Fusion and Fission Energy?

Fusion vs fission energy explained: Fusion and fission are two distinct processes of obtaining energy. Fusion occurs when atomic nuclei combine to form a new nucleus, releasing an enormous amount of energy. Fission, on the other hand, involves breaking apart a heavy nucleus into two or more smaller ones. While both processes release energy, fusion requires extremely high temperatures and pressure to occur, whereas fission can be achieved under controlled conditions. Additionally, fusion reactions produce less radioactive waste compared to fission reactions, making fusion an attractive potential energy source for the future.

Why don’t we use fusion to generate electricity?

The fusion reaction occurs at high temperature and pressure conditions. Let us discuss the reason why fusion is not used to generate electricity.

Fusion is not used to generate electricity because the condition required to conduct the fusion reaction is very difficult to achieve as it requires a temperature of about 1 million Kelvin which is very difficult to produce on Earth. Also, making the temperature of the system to this extent is not safe.

nuclear power plant
Image Credit: Nuclear power plant by Stefan Kühn (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Can cold nuclear fusion generate electricity?

Cold nuclear fusion is possible at low temperatures. Let us discuss whether cold nuclear fusion can generate electricity or not.

Cold nuclear fusion can generate electricity by converting the nuclear energy generated upon the hydrogen reaction with other metals used in the cold nuclear reactor like nickel and palladium. It produces a byproduct as helium and neutrons that collides with other electrodes and can be used to produce electric energy.

Conclusion

We can conclude with this article that fusion can generate electricity due to the immense amount of heat and nuclear energy produced in the nuclear reactor, which can be derived to produce thermal and electric energy. The heat energy can also be used to run a turbine to produce electricity.

Also Read: