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Disclaimer—This paper partially fulfills a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University
of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. This paper is a student, not a professional, paper. This paper is based on
publicly available information and may not provide complete analyses of all relevant data. If this paper is used for any purpose
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ITER AND THE GLOBAL ENERGY DEMAND
Lindsey Laurune ([email protected]
A DEMAND FOR ENERGY
Energy: the most crucial resource for not only human
existence, but for growth in society and the economy. We
use different sources of energy for everything in our daily
lives such as transportation, electricity, fresh water, and
factories. As more developing countries such as China and
India continue to see economic growth, the global demand for
energy will continue to grow as well. In fact, according to
the International Energy Agency (IEA) 2015 World Outlook
Report, energy use worldwide is expected to grow by one
third by 2040[1]. This presents a daunting problem to
engineers: how will the increase in global energy demands be
met?
Currently, a lot of research and investment are going
towards nuclear fusion as a solution to this problem.
Specifically, they are going towards the fusion reactor ITER
in France. I chose to focus on the ITER nuclear fusion reactor
due to the impact it will have on the future of my generation
in meeting our energy demands, and working to combat the
affects of climate change. While there are many critics of
the nuclear fusion technology and ITER due to its high cost, I
hold the perspective of the engineers in favor of this
technology. Nuclear fusion and ITER are a wise investment
and realistic solution to meeting the global energy demands.
ISSUES IN MEETING ENERGY NEEDS
The first factor engineers must look at in tackling the
global energy demand is the affect meeting our demands will
have on the environment. Currently, according to the U.S.
Energy Information Administration, about 80% of the
world’s energy needs are being met by fossil fuels [2]. This
presents an issue due to the carbon dioxide emissions put into
the atmosphere. A publication from the Presidential Climate
Action Project states that the atmospheric CO2 concentration
today is around 382 ppm, increasing at a rate of 2ppm each
year. Scientist’s consider a safe level to be 450 ppm. In order
to stay at or under 450ppm, global emissions would need to
be reduced by about 60% by 2050. Since economic growth is
not expected to slow, the only solution to stay at a safe level
of 450 ppm of carbon dioxide is to implement widespread use
of renewable resources [3].
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering 1
11.01.2016 Implementing use of renewable resources, however,
presents a problem in meeting energy demands itself.
Professor Kaufman of Yale’s School of Forestry and
Environmental Studies discusses many of these issues in his
publication, “Obstacles to Renewable Energy and Energy
Efficiency.” The first reason for this is that many countries
lack the infrastructure to implement renewables. Take solar
panels for example. Solar panels function their best in flat,
sunny areas like the southwestern United States. Building a
grid of solar panels in such an area would not only be costly
due to the cost of the solar panels themselves, but an
investment would have to be made to expand the electric grid
to new areas
Furthermore, many renewable energy sources face
problems when it comes to supply. Unlike fossil fuels,
renewable’s energy aren’t as steady and predictable due to
their dependence on weather. Different wind speeds or
amount of sunshine can make it difficult to deliver energy in
scheduled amounts [4]. A realistic solution to global energy
demands cannot have this many implications.
This is relevant to not just engineers or scientists. The
inability to meet energy demands of large countries such as
China and India not only affects their economy, but the
global economy as well. Furthermore, affects on the climate
due to the technology we use to meet our demands is
experienced on a global level.
FINDING THE BEST SOLUTION
One realistic solution to meet the demands of global
energy needs is energy from nuclear fusion. Explained in an
article published on Power Engineering, energy from nuclear
fusion occurs when different isotopes of hydrogen are heated
to extremely high temperatures and pressures. The atoms are
then fused together to create a heavier element, which results
in the release of a large amount of energy [5].
Nuclear fusion is a viable solution to the global energy
needs for many reasons. To begin with, nuclear fusion
presents no harm to our environment. As stated on ITER’s
information webpage, there are no fossil fuels released during
a nuclear fusion reaction; the major by product is helium, a
non-toxic gas, which has no harmful affects on our
atmosphere [6]. While some people may argue against any
form of nuclear energy due to the radioactive waste, nuclear
Lindsey Laurune
fusion actually has a relatively small amount. The World
Nuclear Association states that the radioactive waste
produced in a reaction would come from the isotope of
hydrogen called tritium. Tritium has a half-life of only twelve
years in contrast to the waste from plutonium in nuclear
fission with a half-life of 24,000 years [7].
Furthermore, nuclear fusion provides reliable and
consistent energy. Unlike renewables, where the energy
available can depend on uncontrollable factors such as the
wind or sunshine, nuclear fusion relies on an on-going and
maintained reaction. The reaction will produce energy as long
as the temperature and pressure of the chamber are kept at
appropriate levels. Temperature and pressure inside a
chamber are factors electrical companies would be able to
control [9]. Also, the main fuel to sustain the fusion reactions
is the isotope of hydrogen called deuterium. Deuterium can
be distilled from all forms of water, so obtaining fuel for the
reactions is not an issue [6].
Finally, nuclear fusion produces an amount of energy
that is large enough to satisfy any amount of energy demands.
On average, a fusion reaction can produce up to four million
times more energy than what is produced in a typical
chemical reaction using fossil fuels [9]. Even more, this
amount of energy is created using only a fraction of the
amount of fuel. A typical coal power plant that produces
1,000 mega-watts of energy uses over 2.7 million tonnes of
coal each year. A nuclear fusion reactor producing the same
amount of energy would only require about 250 kilograms of
fuel each year [10].
produce an immense amount of energy. As explained by the
World Nuclear Association, ITER is designed to produce an
output of energy that is ten times the amount of energy put
into it or five hundred mega- Watts for every fifth megaWatts put into it. This is in contrast to fossil fuel producing
resources such as coal, where the return of output is much
less [13].
Next, ITER is an extremely safe source of energy.
Unlike nuclear fission, there is no risk of a meltdown with
nuclear fusion. The reaction that occurs with the plasma
inside the reactor is a delicate reaction. ITER is built so that
if any disturbance occurs within the reactor, the reaction will
stop instantly and the plasma will cool. However, creating a
disturbance within the reactor would be a difficult task.
According to an article published on Power Engineering, the
different support systems of ITER were all built and analyzed
so that ITER would be able to handle different structural
stresses such as those caused by earthquakes or significant
changes in temperature [14]. Furthermore, there is only
enough fuel kept inside the chamber at any given time to
keep the reaction going for a few seconds. This ensures that
there is no risk of a chain reaction like there is with nuclear
fission [10].
There are also less political implications with ITER.
ITER ensures that there is minimal risk of nuclear
proliferation. For example, in nuclear fission, the waste
produced is a form of plutonium used in the process of
creating nuclear weapons [7]. The resulting concern over the
creation of nuclear weapons makes nuclear fission an
unlikely solution to global energy needs. On the other hand, a
fusion reactor does not produce any substance that could be
converted into use for nuclear weapons since none of its
materials are enriched [9].
One of the main arguments against ITER is its cost, at
an estimated 16.5 billion [11]. This cost is split amongst 35
different countries, with the United States as one of the top
contributors [15]. However, according to a study done by the
Frankfurt School, in 2015 alone, the United States invested
$44.1 billion in renewable energy such as solar, wind, and
hydroelectric [16]. An investment into ITER is less costly and
holds more promise than the other renewables.
ITER: A SOLUTION IN ACTION
One of the best examples of implementing nuclear
fusion to support energy demands is the International
Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project or ITER.
ITER’s director Bernard Bigot explained in an interview for
the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers that
countries such as the United States, Japan, Russia, and the
European Union first launched ITER in 1985. ITER is to use
what is called a tokamak or the machine that will harness the
energy created from a fusion reaction [11].
The tokamak of ITER works through use of several
components. According to ITER’s information webpage, the
first component is ITER’s superconducting magnets, which
will control the plasma used in the nuclear fusion.
Superconducting magnets are crucial because they are able to
carry a larger current and magnetic field, while using less
power than regular magnets. Another important component to
ITER is the vacuum vessel. The vacuum vessel acts as the
first barrier to any radiation produced in the reaction, and
helps to confine and control the plasma. In addition, ITER
also has a metal blankets and cryostats to provide increased
protection and safety from the reaction [12].
ITER makes for a great solution to meet energy
demands for many reasons. To begin with, ITER will
WHY DOES ITER MATTER?
For myself and other engineers, ITER is technology of
great interest because of the several fields of engineering
required to build the technology. Nuclear and chemical
engineering are involved in the nuclear reactions that occur
inside ITER. Electrical engineering is involving in
transforming the heat from the reactions into energy.
Mechanical engineering is involving in building a safe
structure for the reaction to functioning. These are just a few
of several examples. It is from the collaboration of all these
fields has allowed for the creation of technology that can
change the world.
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Lindsey Laurune
On a personal level, I hope to one day be an electrical
engineer. It is encouraging to me that the information I am
studying could have such a critical impact on society.
Furthermore, investment in fusion technology like ITER
opens up a whole new job market, providing more
opportunities for electrical engineers in the future.
[7] “Plutonium.” World Nuclear Association. 10.2016.
Accessed
10.26.2016.
http://www.worldnuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/fuelrecycling/plutonium.aspx
[8] W.J. Nuttall. “Fusion as an Energy Source: Challenges
and Opportunities.” 9.2008. Accessed 10.27.2016.
https://www.iop.org/publications/iop/2008/file_38224.pdf
[9] “Advantages of Fusion” ITER. Accessed 10.28.2016.
http://www.iter.org/sci/Fusion
[10] “Fuelling the Fusion Reaction.” ITER. Accessed
10.29.2016. https://www.iter.org/sci/FusionFuels
[11] “Tough Questions for ITER’s New Director General,
Bernard Bigot.”IEEE Spectrum. 3.20.2015. Accessed
10.29.2016.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/energy/nuclear/iterappoints-bernard-bigot-new-director-general
[12] “The ITER Tokamak.” ITER. Accessed 10.29.2016.
http://www.iter.org/mach
[13] “Nuclear Fusion Power.” World Nuclear Association.
10.2016.
Accessed
10.29.2016.
http://www.worldnuclear.org/information-library/current-and-futuregeneration/nuclear-fusion-power.aspx
[14]“Plant Optimization Analysis Completed At Nuclear
Reactor Test Site.” Power Engineering. 5.23.2012. Accessed
10.26.2016.
http://www.powereng.com/articles/2012/05/plant-optimization-analysiscompleted-at-nuclear-reactor-test-site.html
[15] “ITER Cost- Do we really know how much ITER will
cost?”
ITER.
Accessed
10.30.2016.
https://www.iter.org/FAQ#collapsible_5
[16] “Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment.”
Frankfurt School. 2016. Accessed 10.30.16. http://fs-unepcentre.org/sites/default/files/publications/globaltrendsinrenew
ableenergyinvestment2016lowres_0.pdf
CONCLUSION: ITER IS THE SOLUTION
Meeting growing energy demands is an issue society is
faced with today due to the lack of a reliable and
environmentally safe supply of energy. ITER is a new
technology that uses nuclear fusion, a type of energy that has
much more to promise in regards to its reliability and
sustainability. ITER will produce larger amounts of energy
than other sources such as fossil fuels, solar, and wind, and
with minimal waste.
All in all, I feel the ITER technology provides is
something that should not only be important to engineers, but
to all of society as well. A reliable, safe, and accessible
source of energy to meet the global demands is extremely
important, as failing to due so would affect the economy and
environment on a global level.
SOURCES
[1]“World Energy Outloook 2015.” International Energy
Agency.
2015.
Accessed
10.22.16.
https://www.iea.org/Textbase/npsum/WEO2015SUM.pdf
[2]“Fossil fuels have made up at least 80% of US fuel mix
since 1900.” U.S. Energy Information Administration.
7.2.2015. Accessed 10.26.2016.
[3] S.J. Hassol. “Emissions Reductions Needed to Stabilize
Climate.”
Presidential
Climate
Action
Project.
https://www.climatecommunication.org/wpcontent/uploads/2011/08/presidentialaction.pdf
[4] R.L. Kauffman. “Obstacles to Renewable Energy and
Energy Efficiency.” Yale School of Forestry and
Environmental Studies.
2015. Accessed 10.26.2016.
http://www.cleanlineenergy.com/sites/cleanline/media/resour
ces/Obstacles%20to%20Renewable%20Energy%20and%20E
nergy%20Efficiency.pdf
[5]
“Fusion.”
ITER.
Accessed
10.28.2016.
https://www.iter.org/sci/whatisfusion
[6] “What is ITER?” ITER. Accessed 10.28.2016.
https://www.iter.org/proj/inafewlines
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would first like to acknowledge my father, William
Laurune, for introducing me to the concept of fusion
technology. My father has always kept me up to date when it
comes to energy and renewable resources. It was through him
reading me articles on ITER that nuclear fusion caught my
attention. Furthermore, I would like to acknowledge Jim
Parker, an Electrical Engineer at Westinghouse, for
explaining to me more in depth the benefits of nuclear energy
at a young age.
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