Technion theory
foresees
unlimited
fuel
TORONTO — Technion physicists believe they have found a new mechanism for the release of energy through controlled nuclear fusion, which they hope may solve the world's energy problem.
Their paper, giving details of the theory, was published in the prestigious journal of the American Physical Society, "Physical Review Letters," in June, 1974.
The six members of the Tech-nion's Physics faculty who worked on the project said their research shows energy can be released through nuclear fusion without the extremely high teniperatures - 100 million degrees (the temperature of the sun) - until now considered necessary.
They propose replacing the high temperatures by extremely high density, 100,000 times greater than the natural state of the matter (e.g. one cubic centimetre of water would weigh 100 kg. instead of one gram). They would compress the fuel with specially designed lasers.
For fuel they propose using deuterium, a heavy isotope of hydrogen, obtainable in limited quantities from water - even sea water - at negligible cost. If their method can be developed for electric power plants, it would free the world from independence on oil or uranium for energy production.
"We now believe that the high density our method calls for is much easier to achieve than has been thought. We feel our method has a good ehance," they said. But they stressed that, although they are hopeful, they had not yet proved that their high-density method was superior to the classical high - temperature theory.
They noted that research on controlled nuclear fusion for energy production was going on in many countries, including the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Two methods are known to be under intensive study. One of them, calling for extremely high temperatures, has been under study for 20 years.
Another, new method, first published in the scientific press two years ago, calls for relatively high density, 10,000 times greater than the natural state (but only one-tenth the density the Technion scientists propose), which also heats the fuel to an extremely high temperature. This method calls for "mini-explosions" of tiny pellets of solid hydrogen, also achieved with lasers.
The Technion method would obviate the need for high temperatures altogether. Following acceptance of their theory for publication by "Physical Review Letters" the scientists are seeking funds for further research with the help of the Technion management. Because their method appears to be both revolutionary and promising, they hope to establish an institute for research of controlled thermo-. nuclear energy at the Technion.
The scientist-members of the group are Amon Darm, a specialist in high energy physics and elementary particles; Carla Abul-affio, a nuclear physicist; Jan Grunzweig-Genossar, an expert in solid state physics; Asher Peres, who specializes in relativity; Michael Revzen, an expert in solid state physics; and Amiram Ron, who specializes in plasma physics.
If it could be put into practice, their theory would offer every nation the chance for unlimited and cheap supplies of fuel.
Friday, September 20, 1974—THE BULLETIN—-11
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