• ZoteTheMighty@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    9
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    13 days ago

    Fusion releases a daughter particle and a neutron. The daughter particle is much larger and will deposit its energy back into the plasma, the neutron will travel much further until it hits a collector outside the chamber, heating it up, which will heat water. You don’t get to decide which direction the neutron goes, so you have to build this collector around the entire thing.

    • GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      13 days ago

      There is a hydrogen fusion reaction that releases beta particles, i.e., electrons. This could be used to produce electricity directly without boiling water, but I think the heat output would be such that you could also boil water for more electricity.

      • ZoteTheMighty@lemmy.zip
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        11 days ago

        As someone who works in the field, that sounds like something I’d pitch to shareholders when I’m trying to steal their money, not when I’m trying to fuse particles.