In the modern times, man has searched and tried almost every possible way to harness energy from different kinds of resources abundant in the environment. And indeed they have succeed, today many kinds of resources that are being utilized to generate or produce energy. Mankind has even discovered ways on generating it efficiently and in large quantities. Examples of these said resource that are used in generating energy are water(hydroelectric), the sun(solar), the heat inside the earth(geothermal), wind, tides, reactions between atoms(nuclear) and fossil fuel. But throughout the years, we are constantly experiencing the consequences of these types of power generating methods such as power shortage, gasoline price hike, global warming, pollution and other environmental concerns and catastrophes. What is very concerning is that it may be possible that in the future no vehicle with a gasoline-powered engine would be able to run again due to that all fuel deposits have been drained empty and consumed by engines that very much rely on gasoline for power.
But a new energy source has recently been discovered by scientists and is said to have the properties of being the most PERFECT ENERGY SOURCE. It is called the Helium-3 (He-3) is a light, non-radioactive isotope of helium with two protons and one neutron, rare on Earth, sought for use in nuclear fusion research. The abundance of helium-3 is thought to be greater on the Moon (embedded in the upper layer of regolith by the solar wind over billions of years) and the solar system's gas giants. It is proposed to be used as a second-generation fusion power source. Its existence was first proposed in 1934 by the Australian nuclear physicist Mark Oliphant while based at Cambridge University's Cavendish Laboratory. It is rather different from the ordinary helium here in earth because ordinary helium contains 2 neutron while Helium- 3 consist of only one neutron but both have the same number of protons.
But a new energy source has recently been discovered by scientists and is said to have the properties of being the most PERFECT ENERGY SOURCE. It is called the Helium-3 (He-3) is a light, non-radioactive isotope of helium with two protons and one neutron, rare on Earth, sought for use in nuclear fusion research. The abundance of helium-3 is thought to be greater on the Moon (embedded in the upper layer of regolith by the solar wind over billions of years) and the solar system's gas giants. It is proposed to be used as a second-generation fusion power source. Its existence was first proposed in 1934 by the Australian nuclear physicist Mark Oliphant while based at Cambridge University's Cavendish Laboratory. It is rather different from the ordinary helium here in earth because ordinary helium contains 2 neutron while Helium- 3 consist of only one neutron but both have the same number of protons.
The red areas indicate the presence of Helium-3 on the Moon's surface
POTENTIALS:
The appeal of helium-3 fusion stems from the nature of its reaction products. Helium-3 itself is non-radioactive. However, since both reactants(Helium-3 and hydrogen) need to be mixed together to fuse, side reactions will occur. Therefore in practice this reaction is unlikely to ever be completely 'clean', thus negating some of its attraction. The amounts of helium-3 needed as a replacement for conventional fuels should not be underestimated. The total amount of energy produced in a reaction is 493 megawatt-hours per three grams of Helium-3. If that total amount of energy could be converted to electrical power with 100% efficiency (a physical impossibility), it would correspond to about 30 minutes of output of a thousand-megawatt electrical plant; a year's production by the same plant would require some 17.5 kilograms of helium-3.!!!!
Power Production:
A second-generation approach to controlled fusion power involves combining helium-3 and a heavy hydrogen. The most important potential advantage of this fusion reaction for power production as well as other applications lies in its compatibility. Potential conversion efficiencies of 70 percent may be possible, as there is no need to convert proton energy to heat in order to drive turbine-powered generators.
BENEFITS:
What makes it Different From Other Conventional Methods in Harnessing Energy?
There have been many claims about the capabilities of Helium-3 power plants. According to proponents, fusion power plants operating on helium-3 would offer lower capital and operating costs than their competitors due to less technical complexity, higher conversion efficiency, smaller size, the absence of radioactive fuel, no air or water pollution, and only low-level radioactive waste disposal requirements. Recent estimates suggest that about $6 billion in investment capital will be required to develop and construct the first helium-3 fusion power plant. Financial breakeven at today's wholesale electricity prices (5 cents per kilowatt-hour) would occur after five 1000-megawatt plants were on line, replacing old conventional plants or meeting new demand.
Because of these features countries like China, America, and Russia have been conducting a “race towards the moon” because whichever country wins this “race” will have the capability in ruling the world.
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