Is Tritium-Tritium Fusion the Key to Sustainable Energy?

[BrianConlee]

I've been looking for information on this but can't seem to find any...

So I come to this wonderful place to find answers :)

Everything I read about fusion power talks about D-T fusion being the ideal.

I have two questions:

1. Why isn't a T-T reaction ever discussed? (does it happen anyway in a 50-50 D-T plasma?)

2. Tritium is a very limited resource at the moment, so if this limitation was over come, would it be a more ideal reaction then D-T?

Thanks

 

[Robot B9]

IIRC the D-T reaction requires a lower energy to start. Other reactions need higher energy.

Not sure but the T-T reaction might not be very productive one compared to D-T or D-D so that may be why its not being looked at.

 

[Curl]

Because it can't be done (yet).

Even D-T are too hard to get to start, imagine T-T. That's why.

 

[BrianConlee]

But Curl, following the logic of D-t being a lot easier that D-D, (that much easier than proton proton) due to the larger cross section: A T-T would have an even larger cross section than a D-T with the same amount of positive charge repulsion?

When I "imagine T-T," I'm imagining T-T being easier than D-T.does anyone know where I might find specific info on this type of reaction?

D-T fuses into Helium5 which almost instantly goes to Helium 4 and a neutron.

So, let's take that a step further with T-T fusion...

Would it go to Helium 6? If this happened, the Helium 6 atom would beta decay to a Lithium 6... which itself could produce a Tritium atom if it encountered another Neutron...

To me, that sounds like the reaction is coming full circle in a way, give or take a couple neutrons.

 

[phyzguy]

Of course, in a 50/50 D/T plasma, the T-T reaction does occur, giving T+T -> alpha + 2 n +11.3 MeV. However, the cross section for this reaction is many orders of magnitude smaller than the D+T reaction, so it doesn't contribute much to the overall energy production, which is why you don't see it talked about much.
Here's a reference:

www.oup.co.uk/pdf/0-19-856264-0.pdf[/URL]

 

[BrianConlee]

phyzguy,

thank you so much, this resource is wonderful!