More efficient than hydrogen and produces more energy
chemical element we had ignored
WORLD 18 April 2024 - 07:03
Eco News carries an article about liquid lithium which is better than hydrogen and produces more energy, Caliber.Az reprints the article.
There is a chemical element that some consider better than hydrogen and produces more energy: liquid lithium. It may be key to fusion energy. New experiments have revealed that it may be easier to use fusion as an energy source if liquid lithium is attached to the inner walls of the device containing the fusion plasma. Plasma, the fourth state of matter, is a hot gas composed of electrically charged particles.
Scientists at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) are working on solutions to efficiently harness fusion’s ability to be a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels. They often use devices called tokamaks, which confine plasma based on magnetic fields.
“The purpose of these devices is to confine the energy,” says Dennis Boyle, a research physicist at PPPL, in a statement. He adds, “If you had much better energy confinement, you could make the machines smaller and less expensive. That would make everything much more practical and cost-effective, so that governments and industry would want to invest more in it.”
These findings were presented at a meeting of the Plasma Physics Division of the American Physical Society and are part of the Lithium Beta Tokamak Experiment (LTX-beta). That research is also published in the journal Nuclear Materials and Energy.
Advances in liquid lithium could put hydrogen on the back burner
In recent findings, it has been seen how a layer of liquid lithium added to the inside of the tokamak wall helped the plasma remain hot at its edge. Maintaining a hot edge is central to its unique approach. Scientists hope it will one day contribute to the design of a fusion power plant.
This material, which some consider better than hydrogen, has already been studied in other LTX-beta research. They tested solid lithium coatings and found that the plasma could be improved. The researchers were pleased to achieve similar results with liquid lithium, because it is more suitable for use in a large-scale tokamak.
Liquid lithium could decrease the need for repairs, a situation that would occur because it acts as a shield for the internal walls of the device as they are exposed to the heat of the plasma. This material absorbed about 40 per cent of the hydrogen ions coming out of the plasma. The data showed that fewer particles were recycled back into the plasma as a relatively cold neutral gas.
Why might liquid lithium be better than hydrogen?
When experts speak of a low-recycling environment, they mean precisely this because many of the hydrogen ions expelled from the plasma are not recycled. That is why the plasma edge would be cooled. Ultimately, this low-recycling environment assumed that the temperature at the edge of the plasma is closer to the temperature at the center of the plasma.
That homogeneity in temperature would have to let the plasma store heat better than it would have if liquid lithium were not used. This way of working avoids a large number of instabilities. Liquid lithium also made possible an increase in plasma density when a beam of high-energy neutral particles was injected to heat and feed the plasma.
On the other hand, solid lithium exhibited only a small density increase. When a neutral beam was used, the added hydrogen ions pushed out hydrogen ions already in the plasma in a process dubbed charge exchange.
The researchers believe the key difference is because a small amount of lithium evaporated from the liquid walls of the reactor and entered the plasma. This lithium impurity in the plasma transformed the dynamics of the charge exchange and allowed the plasma to retain the hydrogen ions added by the neutral beam without removing other hydrogen ions, resulting in an overall increase in plasma density.
Caliber.Az
1
|
Phantom arms deal: How false claims aim to derail Baku-Tehran diplomacy Azerbaijan embraces "forewarned is forearmed" principle
25 July 2024 - 15:34
|
2
|
Could France’s anti-NATO rhetoric trigger domestic turmoil? Leftist Mélenchon's stance sparks historical echoes
24 July 2024 - 10:24
|
3
|
Azerbaijan: The new powerhouse of aluminium production amid global market strain "Green" era's requirement
25 July 2024 - 17:05
|
4
|
Brussels' bait and Yerevan's rush to swallow it The visa-free temptation
24 July 2024 - 09:00
|
5
|
West-backed Armenia likely to spark conflict with Azerbaijan rather than seek peace Caliber.Az reveals expert prognoses
25 July 2024 - 11:10
|
Japan addressing increasing incidents of customer harassment
Service culture under strain27 July 2024 - 03:05
Swiss spots struggle with social media-driven visitor impact
Tourism vs. nature27 July 2024 - 01:03
German chancellor tackles EU expansion, internal reform challenges
Path forward26 July 2024 - 23:03
Italian newspaper explores Azerbaijan's ancient Albanian churches
26 July 2024 - 21:08
Azerbaijani prosecutor general declares ties with Türkiye as strategic partnership
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 20:55
Azerbaijan, Italy strengthening military relations
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 20:42
China demands withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from Europe
26 July 2024 - 20:29
Pentagon concedes to spreading anti-Sinovac propaganda in Philippines
26 July 2024 - 20:16
COP29 presidency team hosts events to tackle key climate agenda issues
26 July 2024 - 20:03
Israel targets Türkiye’s TRT Haber team covering Al-Aqsa mosque incident
26 July 2024 - 19:51
COP20 president: Azerbaijan should lead with ambition at COP29
26 July 2024 - 19:38
Turkish defence minister, Azerbaijani ambassador discuss strengthening military ties
26 July 2024 - 19:25
FBI seeking to interview Trump as part of assassination attempt investigation
26 July 2024 - 19:12
US presidential candidate cites potential path to victory with Biden out of race
26 July 2024 - 18:58
Turkish MP confirms plans for official Azerbaijani school in Istanbul
26 July 2024 - 18:44
US vice president’s call for peace in Gaza sparks controversy with Israel
26 July 2024 - 18:30
FM: Italy to appoint ambassador to Syria after 10 years
26 July 2024 - 18:17
Head of Georgian Parliament blames opposition for compromising national safety
Aid to Ukraine at Georgia’s expense26 July 2024 - 18:03
South Caucasus on edge: West fuels Armenia's war drums
Yerevan clings to deceitful rhetoric26 July 2024 - 18:02
Media: Iran arms Hezbollah with advanced weapons
26 July 2024 - 17:49
Bolsonaro intends to run for Brazilian presidency in 2026, citing confidence in winning
26 July 2024 - 17:36
Armenian PM visits modernised Margara checkpoint on Turkish border
VIDEO26 July 2024 - 17:22
Boeing considers to convert its top fighter into an electronic warfare jet
Caliber.Az on YouTube26 July 2024 - 17:17
Belarus ready to expand cooperation with North Korea
26 July 2024 - 17:09
EU appoints new special representative for South Caucasus
26 July 2024 - 17:01
Azerbaijani-Chinese partnership defies "first among equals" attitudes
Rising above geopolitical cynicism26 July 2024 - 16:55
Armenia's militarization: A "peace agenda" with an armed approach
Yerevan must revisit recent historical lessons26 July 2024 - 16:42
Azerbaijan approves cooperation pacts with Türkiye, Kazakhstan
26 July 2024 - 16:33
Media: US informs Iran of readiness to return to nuclear deal
26 July 2024 - 16:29
Turkish forces take down PKK terrorists in coordinated Iraq and Syria raids
VIDEO26 July 2024 - 16:16
Israeli air strikes hit Hezbollah outposts in response to rocket fire
26 July 2024 - 16:03
Kremlin spox: EU ridicules Orban over Moscow visit
26 July 2024 - 15:51
Armenian parliamentary delegation visits Georgia to strengthen bilateral ties
26 July 2024 - 15:38
Washington talks peace while arming Yerevan
26 July 2024 - 15:38
Travellers from 13 nations explore rebuilding of Karabakh, East Zangazur
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 15:25
European Commission transfers €1.5 billion from frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine's defence
26 July 2024 - 15:25
Trump says US to destroy Iran in case of his assassination
26 July 2024 - 15:12
Kremlin declares dialogue with West futile amid hostility toward Russia
26 July 2024 - 14:59
Somalia, Azerbaijan share common positions on many international forums
Minister’s statement26 July 2024 - 14:46
Azerbaijan promoting tourism potential in India
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 14:33