Download Using Lunar Helium-3 to Generate Nuclear Power Without

Using Lunar Helium-3 to Generate Nuclear Power
Without the Production of Nuclear Waste
G. L. Kulcinski
Fusion Technology Institute
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Presented at the 20th International Space Development Conference, Albuquerque NM, May 24-28, 2001.
The Public Developed a Resistance to
Nuclear Power in the Late 20th Century
•
The resistance seems to be largely based on:
1) Fear of radioactivity releases
2) Uneasiness with long-term nuclear waste storage
3) Fear of proliferation of nuclear weapons grade material
• All of the above problems stem from the nuclear reaction:
1) Radioactive fuel
2) Radioactive reaction products
3) Neutrons
There Are 2 Main Nuclear Reactions
to Release Energy
Fission
FP
FP
Fusion
Fusion
Helium
Helium
neutron
neutron
Uranium
Uranium
D
+
T
Light Isotopes
FP
FP
neutron
neutron
The 20th Century Approach to Fusion Only Partly
Alleviates Public Concerns About Nuclear Power
Public Concern
Radioactive Releases
How DT Fusion Addresses Concern
Avoid runaway reactions and "meltdown" scenarios
However, still have gigacuries in reactor in the event
of an accident
Long Term
Radioactive Waste
Storage
Choice of fuel and structural material can reduce
effective half life to < 100's years
However, radiation damage and replacement of
components can produce large volumes of radioactive
waste
Proliferation
Reactor does not require fissile or fertile material
However, excess neutrons can be used to breed
fissile fuel
Fusion Can be Conveniently Divided into Three Eras
1st Generation
2nd Generation
3rd Generation
D + T ® n (14.07 MeV) + 4He (3.52 MeV)
D + D ® n (2.45 MeV) + 3He (0.82 MeV) {50%}
® p (3.02 MeV) + T (1.01 MeV) {50%}
D + 3He ® p (14.68 MeV) + 4He (3.67 MeV)
3He
+ 3He ® 2p + 4He
(12.9 MeV)
The Number of Neutrons Generated by Helium-3
Fusion Fuels is Very Small
12
11
Rel. n/MeV 10
Released in
Fuel
8
7.5*
6
5
4
2
0
1
Fission
0.04–0.2
DT
*burn
*burn half
half of
of TT bred
bred
DD
D3He
Fusion
0
3He-3He
The Use of 2nd and 3rd Generation Fusion Fuels Can Greatly
Reduce or Even Eliminate Radioactive Waste Storage Problems
Class of
Waste
Relative
Cost of
Disposal
LWR Fission
(Once Through)
DT
(SiC)
D3He 3He3He
(SiC) (any material)
Relative Volume of Operation Waste/GWe-y
Class A
1
several
several times
times
several times
Class
Class C
C
Class
Class C
C amount
amount
amount
amount
Class C
≈10
Deep
Geological
≈1000
(Yucca Mtn.)
55
Characteristics of D
3
He Fusion Power Plants
• No Greenhouse or Acid Gas Emissions During
Operation
• Very High Efficiencies (>70%)
• Greatly Reduced Radiological Hazard Potential
Compared to Fission Reactors (<1/10,000)
• Low Level Waste Disposal After 30 y
• No Possible Offsite Nuclear Fatalities in the
Event of Worst Possible Accident
Characteristics of
3
He 3 He Fusion Power Plants
• No Greenhouse or Acid Gas Emissions
During Operation
• Very High Efficiencies (>70%)
• No Residual Radioactivity After 30 Years
of Operation (No Radioactive Waste,
Radiation Damage, or Safety Hazard).
Reaction rate (m3 s-1)
Fusion Reactivities for IEC Distributions
Steady State D 3 He Reaction Rate Achieved in
Wisconsin IEC Device
reaction
reaction
products
products
electric
electric
potential
potential
well
well
ion
ion
density
density
cathode
cathode voltage=55
voltage=55 kV
kV
cathode
cathode current=60
current=60 mA
mA
pressure=1
pressure=1 mtorr
mtorr
Voltage
Voltage
~50
~50 keV
keV
(typical)
(typical)
The Steady State D-3He Fusion Rate in the UW IEC
Device is Now 1.5 x 108 p/s
(115 kV, 60 mA)
Run 265
90kV, 30mA
Significant Progress Has Been Made in Producing
High Energy Protons from the D3He Reaction
1.E+09
1.E+08
1.E+07
Steady State
Reactions/Second
1.E+06
1.E+05
1.E+04
1.E+03
1/1/98
1/1/99
1/1/00
1/1/01
Date Experiments Conducted in Wisconsin IEC Device
1/1/02
Major Societal and Technical Concerns of
Nuclear Energy Options
Fission
1st
DT
Proliferation
D3He
He/3He
3
none
none
Nuclear Waste
none
Radiological Hazard
none
Tritium
Physics Req't.
Major Problem
DD
3rd
none
Radiation Damage
Hardest
Fusion Generation
2nd
Easiest
Minor Problem
Lunar Helium-3 Is
Well Documented
• Helium-3 concentration
verified from Apollo 11, 12,
14, 15, 16, 17 and U.S.S.R.
Luna 16, 20 samples.
• Current analyses indicate
that there are at least
1,000,000 tonnes of helium-3
imbedded in the lunar
surface.
Significance of Lunar Helium-3
11 tonne
tonne of
of He-3
He-3 can
can produce
produce
10,000
10,000 MWe-y
MWe-y of
of electrical
electrical energy.
energy.
40
40 tonnes
tonnes of
of He-3
He-3 will
will provide
provide
for
for the
the entire
entire U.S.
U.S. electricity
electricity
consumption
consumption in
in 2000.
2000.
At 1 Billion Dollars a Tonne the
Energy Cost of Helium-3 is Equivalent
to Oil at $7 per Barrel
There is 10 Times More Energy in the
Helium-3 on the Moon Than in All
the Economically Recoverable Coal, Oil
and Natural Gas on the Earth
The Development of the 2nd and 3rd Generation Fusion Fuels in
the 21st Century Could Lead to Near Term, as Well as Long-Term
Benefits to Society
Phase 3
Long Range Benefits of a Q>10 IEC Device
• All of Phase 1
• All of Phase 2
• Small, Safe, Clean and Economical
Electrical Power Plants
Phase 2
Intermediate Term Spinoff
from a Q = 1–5 Device
• All of Phase 1
• Destruction of Toxic Materials
• Space Power
• Propulsion Technologies
• Remote Electricity Stations
Phase 1
Near Term Spinoff from a Q < 1 Device
• Medical Treatment
• Civilian Commercial Markets
• Environmental Restoration
• Defense
Applications
Near Term
Long Range
• Medical Isotope Production
• Small (50-100 MWe)
Electrical Power Plants
• Cancer Therapy
• Detection of
Explosives
• Detection of
Chemical Wastes
Mid-Term
• Use of Advanced
Fuels (Helium-3)
• Space Propulsion
• Base Load
Electrical Power
Plants
• Destruction of
Fissile Material
• Hydrogen Production
• Destruction of
Radioactive Wastes
• Synthetic Fuel Production