The table below shows fuel information for a planned fusion demonstration plant. The plant uses deuterium obtained from water and tritium made from lithium....
Question 1 Report
The table below shows fuel information for a planned fusion demonstration plant. The plant uses deuterium obtained from water and tritium made from lithium. The project team compares the masses needed over one year with the much larger mass of fossil fuel used by a similar electrical generator.
| Fuel | Mass used in one year / kg | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Deuterium | 180 | Water |
| Tritium | 270 | Lithium blanket |
| Coal for similar output | 2.4 × 108 | Mine |
(a) What is the total mass of fusion fuel used in one year? [1]
(b) Which fusion fuel is obtained from water? [1]
(c) Calculate how many times greater the coal mass is than the total fusion fuel mass. [2]
(d) What environmental advantage, other than fuel mass, could a fusion station have over a coal station? [2]
Answer Details
- (a) \[180+270=450\ \text{kg}\]
The total fusion-fuel mass is 450 kg [1]. - (b) Deuterium [1] is obtained from water.
- (c) \[\frac{2.4\times10^8}{450}=5.3\times10^5\]
The coal mass is \(5.3\times10^5\) times greater, or about 530 000 times [2]. - (d) Any two environmental advantages gain [2]: no carbon dioxide released during operation; no sulfur dioxide or particulate pollution from burning fuel; and less mining or transport of fuel.
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