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From: clt@pur-phy.UUCP (Carrick Talmadge)
Newsgroups: net.followup,net.politics
Subject: Re: alternate, hopefully safe, energy sources
Message-ID: <1390@pur-phy.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 5-Aug-84 18:37:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: pur-phy.1390
Posted: Sun Aug  5 18:37:43 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 6-Aug-84 07:01:09 EDT
References: <798@ihuxx.UUCP> <9368@gatech.UUCP> <1009@ihuxi.UUCP>
Organization: Purdue University Physics Dept.
Lines: 39

>While fusion is somewhat cleaner than fission, it is by no means free
>from waste. The primary result of a hydrogen fusion reaction is
>helium, which is only mildly radioactive.

As far as I know, the only two radioactive isotopes of helium are
Helium 5 (10**-21 sec lifetime), and Helium 6 (.86 sec lifetime),
neither of which are produced in measureable quantities in any reaction
chain being proposed at the moment.  Your main danger would really
be from contaminants in the initial hydrogen "fuel".

>However, another bi-product
>of the reaction is very high energy neutrons. After several years in a
>reactor being bombarded by the neutrins, the reactor containment walls
>become extrememly radioactive.

A few points here.  First, (if I recall correctly), you get surplus high 
energy neutrons only in the tritium (Hydrogen 3) reactions, but not in the
deuterium reactions.  (And yes, they are working on deuterium based reactors,
as well as tritium based reactors). Secondly, the reactor containment walls
will become highly radioactive only if improper choice of materials for the
walls are made.  As material technology progresses, we may well be able to
develop materials which require a much higher energy to become activated,
thus minimizing the danger of activated containment walls.  Finally, even in
a "worst case" scenario, where the wallsdo become highly radioactive, I still
don't see nearly the threat to the environment and human life that fossil fuel
plants possess, via acid rain, SO2 production, etc...


				Carrick Talmadge
				Purdue University Physics Dept.
				West Lafayette, IN 47907

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