While the United States developed the core technology of laser nuclear fusion for the first time in the world and accelerated its commercialization, it was found that South Korea virtually killed it despite having a related research facility over 10 years ago. According to the scientific community on the
14th , Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute received and installed a 1 kilojoule ( KJ ) high-energy laser facility that can conduct laser nuclear fusion research from Osaka University’s Institute of Laser Energy ( ILE ) in 2008 . At that time , 3.6 billion won was invested in the relocation installation, which was carried out for three years from 2005 . As part of the nuclear power research base expansion project, the entire amount was supported by the national treasury. Since then, the facility has been renovated after going through about 3 billion won on two occasions . However, this facility was never used for domestic laser nuclear fusion research. This is because the Korea-type nuclear fusion reactor ( K-STAR ) of the ‘ TOKAMAK ‘ method using a magnetic field, which is a completely different method, was built and the National Fusion Research Institute (currently Korea Fusion Energy Research Institute) was installed, and attention and support were concentrated. In Korea , Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology ( GIST ) was established in 2004 .
), a 4 petawatt-class superpower femtosecond laser facility has been built and is being used, but it is far from a full-scale laser nuclear fusion research in terms of use.
Dr. Lim Chang-hwan of the Atomic Energy Research Institute said, “Laser facilities were donated and installed in order to attract facilities from overseas research institutes, and until about 2015 , laser fusion research was carried out with Japan and China as an international cooperation project.” There has been no progress,” he said.
Bang Woo-seok, professor at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology ( GIST ), said, “Currently, only basic research is being conducted in Korea, such as cross-section studies of nuclear fusion reactions.” ( National Ignition Facility ) was established and focused on research to achieve results.”
Professor Bang especially emphasized that laser nuclear fusion research should be continued in Korea as well. He said, “ Research on nuclear fusion (tokamak method), such as K-STAR , is well under way in Korea, but through this announcement from the US, it was confirmed that there can be various methods of nuclear fusion.” We need to continue research and development with interest,” he pointed out.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ( LLNL )) announced on the 13th that it succeeded in producing more energy than input energy for the first time in the world in the history of laser nuclear fusion research on the 5th, setting a milestone . 스포츠토토 The research team at this research center focused 192 high-power lasers on a small metal ball with a size of 1 mm and succeeded in forcing nuclear fusion of deuterium and tritium atoms inside. In this process, 2.05 megajoules ( 1J = 1 newton) of energy were input to produce 3.15 megajoules of energy. LLNL said, “We have succeeded in proving the most basic scientific principle of laser fusion energy.”
Regarding this, Professor Bang explained, “This is the first achievement to achieve ignition technology, which is an important step in commercialization.” According to Professor Bang, fusion ignition is a state in which helium is generated without additional energy being injected during the nuclear fusion process of hydrogen atoms, heating the nuclear fuel by itself and continuing the reaction. In the meantime, this is the first time that mankind has achieved the nuclear fusion ignition stage in a laboratory except when a hydrogen bomb explodes.
However, there is still a long way to go to commercialization. Professor Bang said, “The United States will also have a minimum of 10 years to 20 to 30It is expected to take about 20 years, and with the success of this ignition technology, the timing will be accelerated,” he said. “As about 30 private companies are researching and developing with the goal of commercialization within the 2030s , it may change depending on how much investment they make in the future.” There are also technical challenges: high-
power lasers must be launched several times per second, and facilities must be enlarged and simplified for actual power generation. It is an idea to produce electricity by reproducing the process of fusing light atoms such as hydrogen like the sun on Earth. If realized, it is regarded as a ‘dream energy source’ that can supply infinite clean energy at low cost. Small spheres of less than 1 mm like a hydrogen bomb Laser nuclear fusion is laser nuclear fusion, which causes forced nuclear fusion by injecting hydrogen into and concentrating high-power laser energy, while magnetic field confines the plasma generated during the nuclear fusion process . Confinement Fusion )’, and K-STAR currently operated by the Nuclear Fusion Energy Research Institute . It is running at the forefront, such as succeeding in super-continuous operation. It is also participating in the construction of the International Experimental Nuclear Fusion Reactor ( ITER ) , an international cooperative research project . For commercialization, the technology to maintain the ultra-high-temperature plasma where nuclear fusion takes place for a long time and the technology to enhance the durability of nuclear fusion reactors remain as homework.