Technical Seminar:
“What does it mean to achieve nuclear fusion ignition?”
Date & Time
7 February 2023 (Tuesday); 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm;
Venue
Chan Yat Mei Sophie Room, HKIE Headquarters, 9/F Island Beverley, No 1 Great George Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Deadline of Application
31 January 2023 (Tuesday)
Programme Highlights
On 13 December 2022, the world was filled with an exciting news that nuclear fusion achieved a breakthrough that on 5 December 2022 the first time the energy gain factor Q ≥ 1 has been achieved in the history of controlled nuclear fusion – this means that the energy released by the fusion reactions is more than the heating power injected.
What does this mean to fusion power development and the carbon neutrality target? We will take a brief look at the history of nuclear power development, from fission to fusion, the significance of the energy gain factor Q ≥ 1 and the path remaining to achieving commercial fusion power generation.
Speaker Biography
Ir Prof. Herman Tsui is a nuclear engineer and worked on R&D of fusion energy in UK and USA. Currently, he specializes in industrial application of plasma technology and has successfully applied plasma for air and surface sanitization. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Registration and Enquiry
The seminar is free of charge and prior registration is required. The number of participants will be limited to 50 and applicants will be served on a first-come-first-serve basis. Priority will be given to the members of Nuclear Division. For registration, please submit online application via the following weblink: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1zjfdj3j-Nz61cUeFUgn-RkhIInr6_UxVLqn78noIM-k/. Successful applicants will be notified by email.
For enquiries, please contact us by sending email to nuclear@ne.hkie.org.hk.
Disclaimer
All information and views expressed by speakers and in their conference materials do not reflect the official opinion and position of HKIE. No responsibility is accepted by the HKIE or their publisher for such information and views including their accuracy, correctness and veracity.
ReportA technical seminar was organized by the Nuclear Division on “What does it mean to achieve nuclear fusion ignition?” on 7 February 2023. The webinar was held in hybrid format and presented to over 170 participants by Ir Prof Herman Tsui, Chairman of the Nuclear Division, who worked on the research and development of fusion energy in the UK and USA.
Ir Prof Tsui first shared the latest breakthrough of nuclear fusion achieved at the National Ignition Facility on 5 December 2022 which the energy released by the fusion reactions being more than the heating power injected, energy gain factor Q ≥ 1, has been achieved for the first time in the history of controlled nuclear fusion. The seminar was then followed by brief introduction of nuclear energy and the requirements for fission and fusion reactions, as well as the history of nuclear power development.
Several key conditions would need to be met to accomplish fusion reaction, they include high temperature to reach plasma state and overcome the Coulomb barrier; sufficient density to increase the chances of collision after overcoming the repulsion due to the Coulomb barrier; and sufficient confinement to contain the plasma for maintaining the fusion reaction. The two approaches to controlled fusion reactions, magnetic confinement and inertial confinement, were also introduced by Ir Prof Tsui during the seminar. Increase in fusion power output would be required for commercial fusion power, while further efforts would be required to resolve other engineering issues including containment integrity and energy extraction. With the scientific feasibility of nuclear fusion being established with the successful achievement of nuclear fusion ignition, the next key step would be demonstrating the engineering feasibility and commercial viability for commercial fusion power before we could enjoy it as a low carbon energy source.
On behalf of the Nuclear Division, we wish to express our sincere gratitude to Ir Prof Herman Tsui, Chairman of the Nuclear Division, for providing this enlightening seminar with the latest development of nuclear fusion technology and insights into future commercial use to our members.
Ir Prof Herman Tsui delivering the Technical Seminar on “What does it mean to achieve nuclear fusion ignition?”
By Ms Anthea Fung