[americandream]

If as you say, these people are rigidly fixed in their beliefs to the point of being beyond persuasion, what is there to win; and there clealry is no one capable of being won over? I'm not entirely sure that you believe what you say but there you have it. Someone who believes that technology can save the day on a site with majority members who have a fear of technology and its effects. The onus is on you to presuade and win over.

Why come on here and associate with these Doomers then?

Because its an easy argument to win.

The Doomers first reaction to any news on a subject like laser fusion energy research is to trash it offhandedly and then justify themselves by saying something like, "The last thing the world needs is more science and technology; We need to concentrate on drastically shrinking our collective footprint on planet Earth". As if the rest of the world will drop what they are doing and heed their words!

Do the doomers believe that the rest of the world will actually quit trying to solve problems using science? How hopelessly naive!

What doomers are really saying is something only to themselves: "We shall dismissively ignore this very interesting and relevant energy news and pretend that it isn't exciting because it distracts us from our juvenile doom-fantasy which we have assiduously constructed over the past few years". In this way, doomer groupthink here on PO.com is maintained and the doom-dream can continue on without so much as a ripple of doubt that the zombie hordes might not soon come a-storming over the horizon.

However, the NIF facility has already been completed and has commenced experimentation. By 2010, ignition attempts will begin. So this is a story that is not going away anytime soon. In fact, it promises to become quite intriquing. If you're a betting man, you'll naturally have an interest in such huge, potentially game-changing, experiments as the NIF.

Speaking for myself, if The Discovery Channel aired a two-hour special on the NIF featuring all the details of the fusion science, the engineering aspects, the disagreements between scientists, potential failings of the approach, what it would mean if the experiment failed to achieve over-unity fusion energy release. what it would mean if it succeeded... I would cancel any other plans and stay home to watch it.

[frankthetank]

Why aren't they building Thorium fueled reactors? I'd say that is far more worthwhile technology then this... (chance of success a heck of a lot better)...

Thorium is one area that *has* the potential to save our asses...

This seems like going to Mars vs the moon...

[Carlhole]

Why aren't they building Thorium fueled reactors? I'd say that is far more worthwhile technology then this... (chance of success a heck of a lot better)...

Thorium is one area that *has* the potential to save our asses...

This seems like going to Mars vs the moon...

The NIF isn't a "save our ass", go-for-broke attempt at achieving fusion energy. Scientists at the NIF will be studying what happens to materials under extreme conditions to discover fundamental properties of matter. Making attempts at achieving fusion ignition is just one of the NIF's goals. If the NIF were to achieve ignition, it would advise utilities on how to build fusion energy plants using laser inertial confinement.

No one, outside of a few internet sites like PO.com, seems very worried that there are not the decades necessary to accomplish the scientific breakthroughs needed to make fusion energy a reality. Huge experiments are being conducted all over the world in the area.

You can bet your ass if thorium reactor technology holds promise, the Chinese will be placing it on their own agenda.

[Carlhole]

LASER FUSION-FISSION: NIF is precursor to LIFE project

The exciting concept of the LIFE project is that it combines both fusion and fission–a “hybrid” approach promoted by LLNL as the best means to efficiently produce clean energy. Essentially, laser-driven fusion targets are surrounded by a fission blanket that contains spent nuclear fuel, natural or depleted uranium, or weapons-grade plutonium. The fusion reaction initiates a fission reaction that burns nearly 100% of the fission fuel from this nuclear waste, creating thermal energy that can be converted to electricity by steam turbines. Not only would the reaction consume the available stockpiles of dangerous spent nuclear fuel, but no refueling would be necessary for 50 years.

The fusion portion of LIFE is based on the physics and technology developed for the NIF project: 192 laser beams from frequency-tripled neodymium lasers produce 1.8 MJ of 351 nm energy in 20 ns pulses that irradiate a deuterium/tritium fuel capsule, releasing neutrons and alpha particles and generating intense heat.

NIF, however, will execute one laser shot every few hours. A LIFE engine needs to execute on the order of 10 shots per second. This high repetition rate calls for diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) lasers rather than the flashlamp-driven lasers used in NIF. The LIFE power plant system comprises a 10 to 15 Hz DPSS laser with a wall-plug efficiency of approximately 10%, a fusion-target factory, a fusion-target chamber surrounded by a subcritical fission blanket, and the balance of the plant.

In a LIFE engine, the point source of fusion neutrons acts as a catalyst to drive the fission blanket, which obviates the need for a critical assembly to sustain the fission chain reaction. Starting from as little as 300 to 500 MW of fusion power, a single LIFE engine can generate 2000 to 3000 megawatts thermal (MWt) in steady state for periods of years to decades, depending on the nuclear fuel and engine configuration. The source of “external neutrons” drives the sub-critical-fission blanket and makes the LIFE engine capable of burning any fertile or fissile nuclear material, including depleted uranium and spent nuclear fuel.

I suppose that Thorium could be used in the blanket surrounding the target. Why not?

[frankthetank]

Yeah.. i get that... I understand that its not entirely about energy production, but the article seems to really point it in that direction...

The reason i turned from doomer to nondoomer is Thorium! After doing the research, some reading i'm convinced...

[jedrider]

Maybe, none of the above. Maybe a realization that our civilization is beyond any technofix. That a technology that is always in the future when there will be no future is pointless from the perspective of saving our asses. However, those are probably some neat looking humongous lasers. Tell us what technology is poised to result from these experiments? If you tell us that it is destined to power our future, then we will laugh at you

I suspect most folks aren't against knowledge per se Carl.

The engineering aspects of laser inertial confinement, the scientific theorization behind it, the thousands of scientists at work on the project... none of that interests the juvenile doomer majority here on PO.com.

They want their die-off and, dammit, they want it NOW! They want it so bad that they can only hope that the greatest potential green energy solution possible dies in its crib. ANY green energy solution that might rival fossil fuels will be very unpopular around here.

What drives this sickness? A hatred of science, a hatred of humanity, even a hatred of America.

Doomers hate America and anything that smacks of that sort of can-do spirit that, once, people were so proud of.