ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Michel Laberge - Plasma physicist
In a lab near Vancouver, Michel Laberge and his team at General Fusion are building a prototype fusion reactor that mimics the processes of the sun to produce cheap, clean and abundant energy.

Why you should listen
Fusion, putting it briefly, is what happens inside the sun: intense heat and pressure combine to convert hydrogen into helium, releasing heat and energy in a self-sustaining reaction. Harnessing that same kind of reaction could someday solve the energy crisis here on Earth, and the US (at the National Ignition Facility in California, using the world's most powerful laser), Europe (at ITER) and China are all working on fusion in multi-billion-dollar labs. Meanwhile, just outside Vancouver, a private-government collaboration spending millions-with-an-m is keeping pace.
 
At General Fusion, plasma physicist Michel Laberge hopes to start a fusion reaction by combining several techniques in one reactor. Inside a spherical chamber, molten lead-lithium is spun up into a vortex, then shot with a pulse of magnetically contained plasma -- meanwhile, around the edge of the sphere, an array of pistons will drive a pressure wave into the center of the sphere, compressing the plasma to fusion conditions. General Fusion is designing and protoyping each piece of this system.
More profile about the speaker
Michel Laberge | Speaker | TED.com
TED2014

Michel Laberge: How synchronized hammer strikes could generate nuclear fusion

米歇尔·拉伯格: 同步锤击如何能产生核聚变

Filmed:
1,108,602 views

米歇尔·拉伯格说:核聚变将会是我们未来的能量来源。等离子物理学家载着建造出可以产生清洁和便宜能源的新型核反应堆的梦想努力地运营着他们的那些小公司。他们的秘密配方是什么呢?高速,高温,还是高压?在这个充满期望的演讲中,他解释道:对于核聚变的高效利用已近在咫尺。
- Plasma physicist
In a lab near Vancouver, Michel Laberge and his team at General Fusion are building a prototype fusion reactor that mimics the processes of the sun to produce cheap, clean and abundant energy. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:13
Wow, this is bright.
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哇,这儿很亮堂。
00:15
It must必须 use a lot of power功率.
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它肯定消耗很多能量。
00:18
Well, flying飞行 you all in here
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你们都乘飞机来到这里
00:19
must必须 have cost成本 a bit of energy能源 too.
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一定也耗费了一些能量。
00:22
So the whole整个 planet行星 needs需求 a lot of energy能源,
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整个地球需要大量的能源,
00:24
and so far we've我们已经 been running赛跑 mostly大多 on fossil化石 fuel汽油.
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迄今,我们主要都在使用化石燃料。
00:27
We've我们已经 been burning燃烧 gas加油站.
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我们一直到在使用天然气。
00:29
It's been a good run.
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到目前看来效果还不错。
00:31
It got us to where we are, but we have to stop.
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它让我们来到要来的地方,但我们不得不停止使用它。
00:34
We can't do that anymore.
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我们不能再使用它了。
00:36
So we are trying different不同 types类型 of energy能源 now,
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因此我们正在尝试不同种类的能源,
00:38
alternative替代 energy能源,
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异形能源,
00:39
but it proved证实 quite相当 difficult to find something
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但要事实证明要发现
00:42
that's as convenient方便 and as cost-effective经济有效
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像石油,天然气,和煤炭一样方便
00:45
as oil, gas加油站 and coal煤炭.
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和经济有效的东西是很难的。
00:47
My personal个人 favorite喜爱 is nuclear energy能源.
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我个人最喜欢的是核能。
00:52
Now, it's very energy-dense能量密度高,
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核能能量密度高,
00:54
it produces产生 solid固体, reliable可靠 power功率,
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它可以产生出稳固可靠的电源,
00:57
and it doesn't make any COCO2.
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而且不排放二氧化碳。
00:59
Now we know of two ways方法
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现在我们知道两种
01:00
of making制造 nuclear energy能源: fission分裂 and fusion聚变.
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产生核能的方法:核裂变和核聚变。
01:06
Now in fission分裂, you take a big nucleus,
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在核裂变中,你将用一个大的原子核
01:08
you break打破 it in part部分, in two,
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把它分裂成两部分
01:10
and it makes品牌 lots of energy能源,
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便会产生很多能量,
01:11
and this is how the nuclear reactor反应堆 today今天 works作品.
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这也是现在核反应堆运行的原理。
01:13
It works作品 pretty漂亮 good.
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它效果非常好。
01:15
And then there's fusion聚变.
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其次是核聚变。
01:17
Now, I like fusion聚变. Fusion'sFusion的 much better.
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我倾向核聚变,因为它更好。
01:19
So you take two small nuclei原子核,
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你将两个小原子核
01:21
you put it together一起, and you make helium,
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放在一起形成一个氦原子,
01:24
and that's very nice不错.
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那是很好的,
01:25
It makes品牌 lots of energy能源.
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它产生很多能量。
01:26
This is nature's大自然 way of producing生产 energy能源.
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这是自然产生能量的方式。
01:29
The sun太阳 and all the stars明星 in the universe宇宙
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太阳和宇宙中的恒星
01:31
run on fusion聚变.
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都靠核聚变运作。
01:34
Now, a fusion聚变 plant
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一个核聚变电厂
01:36
would actually其实 be quite相当 cost-effective经济有效
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事实上非常经济有效
01:38
and it also would be quite相当 safe安全.
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并且很安全。
01:40
It only produces产生 short term术语 radioactive放射性的 waste浪费,
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它只产生短期的放射性废物,
01:44
and it cannot不能 melt熔化 down.
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而且它不会熔化。
01:46
Now, the fuel汽油 from fusion聚变 comes from the ocean海洋.
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核聚变的原料来自于海洋。
01:49
In the ocean海洋, you can extract提取 the fuel汽油
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在海洋中你可以开采原料,
01:51
for about one thousandth千分之一 of a cent一分钱
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每千瓦时的成本只有千分之一美分,
01:53
per kilowatt-hour千瓦时, so that's very, very cheap低廉.
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所以,那非常,非常便宜。
01:55
And if the whole整个 planet行星 would run on fusion聚变,
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如果整个地球依赖核聚变,
01:58
we could extract提取 the fuel汽油 from the ocean海洋.
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我们可以从海洋中提取原料。
02:00
It would run for billions数十亿 and billions数十亿 of years年份.
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它会运行上百亿年。
02:03
Now, if fusion聚变 is so great, why don't we have it?
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但如果核聚变这么有用,我们为什么还没用上呢?
02:07
Where is it?
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它在哪儿呢?
02:08
Well, there's always a bit of a catch抓住.
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总是有原因的。
02:10
Fusion聚变 is really, really hard to do.
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核聚变非常难实行。
02:13
So the problem问题 is, those two nuclei原子核,
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问题在于,那两个原子核
02:16
they are both positively积极 charged带电,
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都带有正电荷,
02:17
so they don't want to fuse保险丝.
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所以它们不想融合。
02:19
They go like this. They go like that.
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它们像这样背道而行,就像那样背道而去
02:21
So in order订购 to make them fuse保险丝,
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为了要让它们融合,
02:22
you have to throw them at
each other with great speed速度,
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你必须以极大的速度把它们抛向对方,
02:24
and if they have enough足够 speed速度,
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如果速度够大,
02:25
they will go against反对 the repulsion推斥,
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它们就能克服斥力,
02:27
they will touch触摸, and they will make energy能源.
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它们就会接触,并产生能量。
02:29
Now, the particle粒子 speed速度
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现在,颗粒的速度是
02:31
is a measure测量 of the temperature温度.
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衡量温度的一种方式。
02:33
So the temperature温度 required需要 for fusion聚变
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那么核聚变
02:35
is 150 billion十亿 degrees C.
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所需要的融合的温度是 1500 亿 摄氏度。
02:38
This is rather warm,
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这温度是相当暖和的,
02:40
and this is why fusion聚变 is so hard to do.
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这也是为什么核聚变十分困难的原因。
02:43
Now, I caught抓住 my little fusion聚变 bug窃听器
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当我在英属哥伦比亚大学攻读博士学位时
02:45
when I did my Ph博士.D. here at the
University大学 of British英国的 Columbia哥伦比亚,
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我发现了核聚变这个难题,
02:49
and then I got a big job工作 in a laser激光 printer打印机 place地点
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之后我在为印刷工业的激光打印场
02:52
making制造 printing印花 for the printing印花 industry行业.
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找到一份任重而道远的工作。
02:55
I worked工作 there for 10 years年份,
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我在那里工作了 10 年,
02:57
and I got a little bit bored无聊,
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感觉工作有些无聊了,
02:59
and then I was 40, and I got a mid-life中年 crisis危机,
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那时我 40 岁,处于中年危机,
03:02
you know, the usual通常 thing:
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你知道,很平常的事:
03:03
Who am I? What should I do?
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我是谁?我应该做什么?
03:06
What should I do? What can I do?
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我该做什么?我能做什么?
03:08
And then I was looking at my good work,
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然后我反思我的好工作,
03:10
and what I was doing is I was cutting切割 the forests森林
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我所做的只是在不列颠哥伦比亚省周围
03:12
around here in B.C.
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砍伐森林而已,
03:14
and burying掩埋 you, all of you,
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并且将你们所有人
03:15
in millions百万 of tons of junk破烂 mail邮件.
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埋在百万吨的垃圾邮件里。
03:19
Now, that was not very satisfactory满意的.
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而现在,那不是非常令人满意。
03:21
So some people buy购买 a Porsche保时捷.
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所以有些人买了保时捷。
03:23
Others其他 get a mistress情妇.
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其他人找了情妇。
03:26
But I've decided决定 to get my bit
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但我决定去得到自己的赌注
03:27
to solve解决 global全球 warming变暖 and make fusion聚变 happen发生.
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解决全球变暖的问题,让核聚变成为可能。
03:32
Now, so the first thing I did
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现在,我做的第一件事是
03:33
is I looked看着 into the literature文学 and I see,
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我阅览文献记载
03:36
how does fusion聚变 work?
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了解核聚变如何运行。
03:38
So the physicists物理学家 have been
working加工 on fusion聚变 for a while,
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物理学家研究核聚变已有一段时间,
03:42
and one of the ways方法 they do it
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它们所做的实现核聚变的方法之一是
03:43
is with something called a tokamak托卡马克.
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使用一个叫做托卡马克的装置。
03:45
It's a big ring of magnetic磁性 coil,
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这是一个有着磁性超导体
03:48
superconducting超导 coil,
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线圈的大圆环,
03:49
and it makes品牌 a magnetic磁性 field领域
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它在圆环内部
03:51
in a ring like this,
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形成磁场,
03:52
and the hot gas加油站 in the middle中间,
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中间部分的被困的灼热气体
03:54
which哪一个 is called a plasma等离子体, is trapped被困.
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叫做等离子体,
03:56
The particles粒子 go round回合 and round回合 and round回合
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那些粒子不断的
03:58
the circle at the wall.
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在圆环璧上绕圈子。
03:59
Then they throw a huge巨大 amount of heat in there
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然后他们将大量的热加入其中
04:01
to try to cook厨师 that to fusion聚变 temperature温度.
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试图加热以达到核聚变的温度。
04:03
So this is the inside of one of those donuts甜甜圈,
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这是在其中的一个圆环,
04:05
and on the right side you can see
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在右侧你可以看到的是
04:07
the fusion聚变 plasma等离子体 in there.
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聚变等离子体。
04:09
Now, a second第二 way of doing this
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做这种东西的第二种
04:11
is by using运用 laser激光 fusion聚变.
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方式是激光核聚变。
04:14
Now in laser激光 fusion聚变, you have a little ping pong乒乓 ball,
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在激光核聚变中,你有一个乒乓球大小的球,
04:16
you put the fusion聚变 fuel汽油 in the center中央,
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你将核聚变原料放在中间,
04:18
and you zapZAP that with a whole整个
bunch of laser激光 around it.
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然后用很多束激光在周围向其射击。
04:21
The lasers激光器 are very strong强大, and it squashes南瓜
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那激光非常强,
04:22
the ping pong乒乓 ball really, really quick.
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将那乒乓球在瞬间压扁。
04:24
And if you squeeze something hard enough足够,
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如果你用足够的力挤压某样东西,
04:26
it gets得到 hotter,
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它会变热,
04:27
and if it gets得到 really, really fast快速,
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如果这个过程发生得非常快,
04:29
and they do that in one billionth十亿 of a second第二,
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在十亿分之一秒之内,
04:31
it makes品牌 enough足够 energy能源 and enough足够 heat
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它便会产生足够的能量和热量
04:33
to make fusion聚变.
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核聚变便可以发生。
04:34
So this is the inside of one such这样 machine.
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这是这种机器的内部。
04:36
You see the laser激光 beam光束 and the pellet
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你可以看到激光光线和
04:38
in the center中央.
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小球在中间。
04:40
Now, most people think that fusion聚变 is going nowhere无处.
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很多人都认为核聚变的研究方面没有任何进展。
04:43
They always think that the physicists物理学家 are in their lab实验室
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他们认为物理学家在实验室中努力研究
04:46
and they're working加工 hard, but nothing is happening事件.
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但一无所成。
04:48
That's actually其实 not quite相当 true真正.
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事实并非如此。
04:49
This is a curve曲线 of the gain获得 in fusion聚变
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这是过去 30 年中
04:51
over the last 30 years年份 or so,
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在核聚变方面获得成就的统计图,
04:53
and you can see that we're making制造 now
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和以前当我们开始的时候相比
04:55
about 10,000 times more fusion聚变 than we used to
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你可以看到我们现在可以
04:58
when we started开始.
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完成10000 次多核聚变。
04:59
That's a pretty漂亮 good gain获得.
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那是很大的一个成就。
05:00
As a matter of fact事实, it's as fast快速
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事实上,核聚变的发展速度和传说中的摩尔定律
05:02
as the fabled传说 Moore's摩尔定律 Law
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事实上,核聚变的发展速度和传说中的摩尔定律
05:03
that defined定义 the amount of transistors晶体管
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所描述的人们可以将三极管
05:06
they can put on a chip芯片.
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放在芯片上的发展速度一样。
05:07
Now, this dot here is called JET喷射,
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这个点叫做JET
05:10
the Joint联合 European欧洲的 Torus花托.
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也就是欧联磁核聚变设备。
05:12
It's a big tokamak托卡马克 donut甜甜圈 in Europe欧洲,
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它是位于欧洲的一个巨大的托卡马克圆环,
05:14
and this machine in 1997
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这台机器在 1997 年
05:17
produced生成 16 megawatts兆瓦 of fusion聚变 power功率
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在产生 16 兆瓦核聚变功率同时
05:20
with 17 megawatts兆瓦 of heat.
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产生了 17 兆瓦的热量。
05:22
Now, you say, that's not much use,
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现在,你说,那没多大用处,
05:24
but it's actually其实 pretty漂亮 close,
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但事实上,它非常接近,
05:26
considering考虑 we can get
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考虑到我们能得到的
05:27
about 10,000 times more than we started开始.
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是比我们开始时所产生核聚变能量的10000倍。
05:29
The second第二 dot here is the NIFNIF.
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这第二个点是NIF。
05:32
It's the National国民 Ignition点火 Facility设施.
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全称是国家点火装置。
05:34
It's a big laser激光 machine in the U.S.,
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它是在美国的一个大型激光机器,
05:37
and last month they announced公布
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上个月他们宣布
05:38
with quite相当 a bit of noise噪声
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有不少争议,
05:40
that they had managed管理 to make more fusion聚变 energy能源
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他们已经设法
05:42
from the fusion聚变
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从核聚变那里产生了更多的核聚变能源
05:44
than the energy能源 that they put in
the center中央 of the ping pong乒乓 ball.
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比给那个中间乒乓球的更多的能量。
05:46
Now, that's not quite相当 good enough足够,
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那还不够好,
05:48
because the laser激光 to put that energy能源 in
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因为激光投入的能量
05:50
was more energy能源 than that,
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是比那个更多的能量。
05:52
but it was pretty漂亮 good.
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但已经很不错了。
05:54
Now this is ITERITER,
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这是ITER,
05:56
pronounced宣判 in French法国: EE-tairhEE-tairh.
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在法语里发音为:EE-tairh。
05:58
So this is a big collaboration合作 of different不同 countries国家
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这是不同国家的一项了不起的合作
06:01
that are building建造 a huge巨大 magnetic磁性 donut甜甜圈
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建造了一个巨大的磁环,
06:03
in the south of France法国,
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在法国的南部,
06:05
and this machine, when it's finished,
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当这个机器被建成后
06:07
will produce生产 500 megawatts兆瓦 of fusion聚变 power功率
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将可以利用50兆瓦
06:09
with only 50 megawatts兆瓦 to make it.
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产生出500兆瓦的核聚变能量。
06:12
So this one is the real真实 one.
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这一个是真的。
06:13
It's going to work.
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它将会投入工作。
06:14
That's the kind of machine that makes品牌 energy能源.
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这就是那个能够制造能量的机器。
06:16
Now if you look at the graph图形, you will notice注意
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如果你留心了这幅图,你会注意到
06:18
that those two dots are a little bit
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那两个点
06:19
on the right of the curve曲线.
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在曲线右侧。
06:20
We kind of have fallen堕落 off the progress进展.
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我们似乎没有赶上进度。
06:22
Actually其实, the science科学 to make those machines
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事实上,可以制造那些机器的科学技术
06:24
was really in time
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非常及时地
06:26
to produce生产 fusion聚变 during that curve曲线.
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在曲线间实现了核聚变。
06:28
However然而, there has been a bit of politics政治 going on,
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但是,有一些政治上的原因
06:31
and the will to do it was not there,
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导致此项目的停止
06:33
so it drifted漂流 to the right.
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因此那两个点向右侧偏移。
06:35
ITERITER, for example, could have been built内置
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举个例子,ITER本可以在
06:37
in 2000 or 2005,
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2000 至 2005 年间建造,
06:39
but because it's a big international国际 collaboration合作,
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但因为这是一个国际间的合作,
06:41
the politics政治 got in and it delayed延迟 it a bit.
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政治因素拖延了它。
06:44
For example, it took them about three years年份
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而且,人们花了三年去决定把它
06:45
to decide决定 where to put it.
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放在哪里。
06:47
Now, fusion聚变 is often经常 criticized批评
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核聚变总是被批评
06:49
for being存在 a little too expensive昂贵.
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因为成本过高,
06:51
Yes, it did cost成本
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的确,它要花费
06:53
a billion十亿 dollars美元 or two billion十亿 dollars美元 a year
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10 至 20 亿美元一年去
06:55
to make this progress进展.
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取得这样的进步。
06:56
But you have to compare比较 that to the cost成本
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但是你得将它的花费和
06:57
of making制造 Moore's摩尔定律 Law.
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建造摩尔定律的花费比一下。
06:59
That cost成本 way more than that.
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是远远超过了核聚变研究的花费的。
07:01
The result结果 of Moore's摩尔定律 Law
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摩尔定律的成果
07:02
is this cell细胞 phone电话 here in my pocket口袋.
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是我口袋里的这个手机。
07:04
This cell细胞 phone电话, and the Internet互联网 behind背后 it,
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这个手机,和其使用的互联网
07:06
cost成本 about one trillion dollars美元,
195
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2680
花费将尽一万亿美元,
07:09
just so I can take a selfie自拍
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3231
只是为了我可以拍张自拍,
07:12
and put it on FacebookFacebook的.
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然后发表到脸谱网上。
07:15
Then when my dad sees看到 that,
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当我爸看到的时候
07:16
he'll地狱 be very proud骄傲.
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会感到非常骄傲。
07:19
We also spend about 650 billion十亿 dollars美元 a year
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我们一年里还花费 6500 亿美元
07:23
in subsidies补贴 for oil and gas加油站
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去补贴石油,燃气
07:26
and renewable可再生 energy能源.
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和可再生能源。
07:27
Now, we spend one half of a percent百分 of that on fusion聚变.
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迄今,对于核聚变变我们只花了其 0.5% 的开支。
07:31
So me, personally亲自, I don't think it's too expensive昂贵.
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所以我个人认为,我们并没有花费过多。
07:34
I think it's actually其实 been shortchanged缩手缩脚,
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1780
我认为这实际上是很节约的,
07:36
considering考虑 it can solve解决 all our energy能源 problems问题
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就核聚变在未来几十亿年
07:38
cleanly干净 for the next下一个 couple一对 of billions数十亿 of years年份.
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可以环保地解决我们所有的能源问题来说,
07:41
Now I can say that, but I'm a little bit biased,
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我有些个人偏见,但我这样说
07:44
because I started开始 a fusion聚变 company公司
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是因为我创建了一家核聚变公司
07:45
and I don't even have a FacebookFacebook的 account帐户.
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而且我压根儿不用脸谱网。
07:48
So when I started开始 this fusion聚变 company公司 in 2002,
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在 2002 我刚创建这家核聚变公司时,
07:53
I knew知道 I couldn't不能 fight斗争 with the big lads小伙子.
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我知道我不能跟那些巨头们抗衡。
07:56
They had much more resources资源 than me.
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他们拥有更多的资源。
07:58
So I decided决定 I would need to find a solution
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我决意要找到一个
08:00
that is cheaper便宜 and faster更快.
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便宜并迅速的解决方法。
08:02
Now magnetic磁性 and laser激光 fusion聚变
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磁场和激光核聚变发生装置
08:04
are pretty漂亮 good machines.
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是很不错的机器。
08:05
They are awesome真棒 pieces of technology技术,
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它们是了不起的科研成果,
08:07
wonderful精彩 machines, and they have shown显示
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1874
神奇的机器,而且它们已经展示了
08:09
that fusion聚变 can be doneDONE.
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核聚变可以被完成。
08:10
However然而, as a power功率 plant,
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1954
但是作为电力工厂,
08:12
I don't think they're very good.
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我不认为它们非常适合。
08:14
They're way too big, way too complicated复杂,
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它们过大,过于复杂,
08:16
way too expensive昂贵,
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过于昂贵
08:17
and also, they don't deal合同 very much
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而且它们不能处理
08:19
with the fusion聚变 energy能源.
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很多核聚变能量。
08:20
When you make fusion聚变, the energy能源 comes out
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在你制造核聚变时,能量
08:22
as neutrons中子, fast快速 neutrons中子 comes out of the plasma等离子体.
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以中子,以快速的中子形式从等离子体中快速释放出来。
08:25
Those neutrons中子 hit击中 the wall of the machine.
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那些中子撞击到机器的边墙
08:27
It damages赔偿 it.
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会造成损坏。
08:28
And also, you have to catch抓住
the heat from those neutrons中子
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而且,你还需要捕获中子所产生的热量
08:30
and run some steam蒸汽 to spin a turbine涡轮 somewhere某处,
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并用蒸汽在某处旋转涡轮,
08:33
and on those machines,
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对于那些机器来说,
08:34
it was all a bit of an afterthought事后.
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这些都有点儿马后炮。
08:37
So I decided决定 that surely一定 there
is a better way of doing that.
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3151
所以我想一定会有更好的方法。
08:40
So back to the literature文学,
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1284
我又回头阅读文献记录,
08:41
and I read about the fusion聚变 everywhere到处.
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1992
读遍了关于核聚变的记载。
08:43
One way in particular特定 attracted吸引 my attention注意,
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2722
有一种方法格外让我着迷,
08:46
and it's called magnetized磁化 target目标 fusion聚变,
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2090
叫做磁化目标核聚变,
08:48
or MTFMTF for short.
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或简称为MTF。
08:50
Now, in MTFMTF, what you want to do
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2442
你所需要做的事
08:53
is you take a big vat增值税
242
521300
1970
是去用一个大桶
08:55
and you fill that with liquid液体 metal金属,
243
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2016
装满液态金属,
08:57
and you spin the liquid液体 metal金属
244
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1520
然后你旋转液态金属
08:58
to open打开 a vortex涡流 in the center中央,
245
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1648
在中心形成一个漩涡,
09:00
a bit like your sink水槽.
246
528454
1136
就像你家里的水槽一样。
09:01
When you pull the plug插头 on a sink水槽, it makes品牌 a vortex涡流.
247
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2104
当你将水槽中塞子拔掉时,便会形成一个漩涡。
09:03
And then you have some pistons活塞 driven驱动 by pressure压力
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之后由气压驱动的活塞
09:06
that goes on the outside,
249
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1476
在机器外围开动,
09:07
and this compresses压缩 the liquid液体 metal金属
250
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1920
并压缩等离子体周围的
09:09
around the plasma等离子体, and it compresses压缩 it,
251
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1762
液态金属,当压缩它的时候
09:11
it gets得到 hotter, like a laser激光,
252
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1654
液态金属变热,就像激光一样,
09:12
and then it makes品牌 fusion聚变.
253
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核聚变也就发生了。
09:14
So it's a bit of a mix混合
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920
那么这就是
09:15
between之间 a magnetized磁化 fusion聚变
255
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1655
磁化核聚变
09:16
and the laser激光 fusion聚变.
256
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1983
和激光核聚变的一种混合
09:18
So those have a couple一对 of very good advantages优点.
257
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这样的核聚变有几点优势。
09:21
The liquid液体 metal金属 absorbs吸收 all the neutrons中子
258
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2343
液态金属吸收所有的中子
09:23
and no neutrons中子 hit击中 the wall,
259
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1756
没有中子会冲撞墙壁,
09:25
and therefore因此 there's no damage损伤 to the machine.
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2136
因此机器也不会被损坏。
09:27
The liquid液体 metal金属 gets得到 hot,
261
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液态金属变热,
09:29
so you can pump that in a heat exchanger,
262
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2000
你可以将其抽入热量交换器中,
09:31
make some steam蒸汽, spin a turbine涡轮.
263
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1880
形成一些蒸汽,并旋转涡轮。
09:33
So that's a very convenient方便 way of doing
264
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1179
这是实现这部分过程的
09:34
this part部分 of the process处理.
265
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1260
一个非常便利的方法
09:35
And finally最后, all the energy能源 to make the fusion聚变 happen发生
266
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这样一来呢,所有用来制造核聚变的能量
09:39
comes from steam-powered蒸汽动力的 pistons活塞,
267
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2135
都来自于蒸汽动力活塞
09:41
which哪一个 is way cheaper便宜 than lasers激光器
268
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1656
其开支要比激光
09:42
or superconducting超导 coils线圈.
269
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1894
或超导线圈便宜得多。
09:44
Now, this was all very good
270
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1488
这是个非常好的方法
09:46
except for the problem问题 that it didn't quite相当 work.
271
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只是不怎么管用。
09:48
(Laughter笑声)
272
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(笑声)
09:50
There's always a catch抓住.
273
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总会有意想不到的事。
09:51
So when you compress压缩 that,
274
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1514
当你压缩时,
09:53
the plasma等离子体 cools冷却 down
275
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1924
等离子体冷却速率
09:55
faster更快 than the compression压缩 speed速度,
276
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1628
比压缩速率更快,
09:56
so you're trying to compress压缩 it,
277
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1313
虽然你试图进行压缩,
09:58
but the plasma等离子体 cooled冷却 down and
cooled冷却 down and cooled冷却 down
278
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2335
但是那等离子体逐渐冷却,
10:00
and then it did absolutely绝对 nothing.
279
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1941
最后却一无所成。
10:02
So when I saw that, I said,
well, this is such这样 a shame耻辱,
280
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2035
当看到那时我感到耻辱,
10:04
because it's a very, very good idea理念.
281
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1750
因为那本是一个很好的主意。
10:06
So hopefully希望 I can improve提高 on that.
282
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2354
但愿我可以改进它。
10:08
So I thought about it for a minute分钟,
283
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1095
我想了一会,
10:09
and I said, okay, how can we make that work better?
284
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2077
怎样才能让它更好的运行呢?
10:11
So then I thought about impact碰撞.
285
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1858
所想到了冲击力。
10:13
What about if we use a big hammer锤子
286
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1834
如果我们是用一个大锤子
10:15
and we swing摇摆 it and we hit击中 the nail like this,
287
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2532
用力摆动它,并像用力敲打钉子一样。
10:18
in the place地点 of putting the hammer锤子 on the nail
288
606093
1974
我们不能将锤子
10:20
and pushing推动 and try to put it in? That won't惯于 work.
289
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2195
放在钉子上推,那不管用。
10:22
So what the idea理念 is
290
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1931
其核心思想
10:24
is to use the idea理念 of an impact碰撞.
291
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1744
就是使用撞击力。
10:25
So we accelerate加速 the pistons活塞 with steam蒸汽,
292
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2082
我们花些时间
10:28
that takes a little bit of time,
293
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1279
使用蒸汽来加速活塞,
10:29
but then, bang! you hit击中 the piston活塞,
294
617298
1983
然后就“砰”的一声,活塞受到撞击,
10:31
and, baffBAFF!, all the energy能源 is doneDONE instantly即刻,
295
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2552
所有能量即刻都有了,
10:33
down instantly即刻 to the liquid液体,
296
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1596
金属变为液体
10:35
and that compresses压缩 the plasma等离子体 much faster更快.
297
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2050
并且那可以更快的压缩等离子体。
10:37
So I decided决定, okay, this is good, let's make that.
298
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2448
我便决定制作这样的机器。
10:39
So we built内置 this machine in this garage车库 here.
299
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3725
我们便在这个仓库里建造这台机器。
10:43
We made制作 a small machine
300
631652
1085
我们做了一个小的机器,
10:44
that we managed管理 to squeeze
301
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1972
我们成功地从中
10:46
a little bit of neutrons中子 out of that,
302
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1648
挤出了一点中子,
10:48
and those are my marketing营销 neutrons中子,
303
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2201
那些便是我们的市场营销中子
10:50
and with those marketing营销 neutrons中子,
304
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1443
那些中子
10:52
then I raised上调 about 50 million百万 dollars美元,
305
640001
2599
帮助我们筹集了 5000 万美元,
10:54
and I hired雇用 65 people. That's my team球队 here.
306
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2890
我雇佣了65个人。这是我的团队。
10:57
And this is what we want to build建立.
307
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1582
这就是我们想要建造的。
10:59
So it's going to be a big machine,
308
647072
1514
这将是一台巨大的机器,
11:00
about three meters in diameter直径,
309
648586
1474
直径三米,
11:02
liquid液体 lead spinning纺织 around,
310
650060
1802
液态铅在周围旋转,
11:03
big vortex涡流 in the center中央,
311
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1592
巨大的漩涡位于中间,
11:05
put the plasma等离子体 on the top最佳 and on the bottom底部,
312
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2320
将等离子体置于顶部和底部,
11:07
piston活塞 hits点击 on the side,
313
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活塞从周围向内压缩,
11:09
bang!, it compresses压缩 it,
314
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1510
嗙!活塞压缩等离子体,
11:10
and it will make some energy能源,
315
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1284
会产生一些能量,
11:11
and the neutron中子 will come out in the liquid液体 metal金属,
316
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2392
中子便从液态金属中出来,
11:14
going to go in a steam蒸汽 engine发动机 and make the turbine涡轮,
317
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2600
进入蒸汽引擎带动涡轮
11:16
and some of the steam蒸汽 will go back
318
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1506
一些蒸汽便会回来
11:18
to fire the piston活塞.
319
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998
再次弹射出活塞。
11:19
We're going to run that about one time per second第二,
320
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1890
我们让它一秒钟运行一次,
11:21
and it will produce生产 100 megawatts兆瓦 of electricity电力.
321
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便可以得到100兆瓦的电力。
11:26
Okay, we also built内置 this injector注射器,
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我们还造了这个注射器,
11:28
so this injector注射器 makes品牌 the plasma等离子体 to start开始 with.
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这个注射器会让等离子准备继续,
11:30
It makes品牌 the plasma等离子体 at about
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让等离子体达到
11:32
a lukewarm temperature温度 of three million百万 degrees C.
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微温的300万摄氏度。
11:36
Unfortunately不幸, it doesn't last quite相当 long enough足够,
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不幸的是,它并不能坚持足够长时间,
11:38
so we need to extend延伸 the life
of the plasma等离子体 a little bit,
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我们的延长等离子存在的时间,
11:41
but last month it got a lot better,
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上个月我们有所进展,
11:43
so I think we have the plasma等离子体 compressing压缩 now.
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我想我们已经有了等离子体压缩器了。
11:45
Then we built内置 a small sphere领域, about this big,
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然后我们建造了一个小球体,大概这么大,
11:48
14 pistons活塞 around it,
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周围有 14 个活塞,
11:50
and this will compress压缩 the liquid液体.
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活塞将会压缩液体。
11:52
However然而, plasma等离子体 is difficult to compress压缩.
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但是压缩等离子体并不简单。
11:54
When you compress压缩 it,
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当你压缩它时,
11:55
it tends趋向 to go a little bit crooked like that,
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它往往会像这样歪斜,
11:57
so you need the timing定时 of the piston活塞
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所以你需要准确的
11:59
to be very good,
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控制好活塞的时间,
12:00
and for that we use several一些 control控制 systems系统,
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我们用了几个控制系统
12:03
which哪一个 was not possible可能 in 1970,
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来解决这个在1970年不能解决的问题,
12:05
but we now can do that
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但是我们现在可以用
12:06
with nice不错, new electronics电子产品.
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新的,好的电子设备解决此问题。
12:10
So finally最后, most people think that fusion聚变
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最后要说的,很多人认为核聚变
12:12
is in the future未来 and will never happen发生,
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是我们的未来但永不会发生,
12:14
but as a matter of fact事实, fusion聚变 is getting得到 very close.
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但事实上,核聚变就要成为现实了。
12:17
We are almost几乎 there.
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我们快要成功了。
12:18
The big labs实验室 have shown显示 that fusion聚变 is doable可行,
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大型的实验证明了核聚变的可行性,
12:21
and now there are small companies公司
that are thinking思维 about that,
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现在有些小公司都在想这个问题
12:23
and they say, it's not that it cannot不能 be doneDONE,
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他们说,核聚变不是不可行的,
12:26
but it's how to make it cost-effectively成本效益.
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问题在于怎么让其经济高效。
12:28
General一般 Fusion聚变 is one of those small companies公司,
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通用核聚变是那些小公司之一
12:30
and hopefully希望, very soon不久, somebody, someone有人,
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未来非常有希望,很快就会有人可以
12:33
will crack裂纹 that nut坚果,
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解决这个难题。
12:35
and perhaps也许 it will be General一般 Fusion聚变.
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并且可能会是通用核聚变公司
12:36
Thank you very much.
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非常感谢。
12:38
(Applause掌声)
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(掌声)
Translated by Xiaoou Chen
Reviewed by Yuanqing Edberg

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Michel Laberge - Plasma physicist
In a lab near Vancouver, Michel Laberge and his team at General Fusion are building a prototype fusion reactor that mimics the processes of the sun to produce cheap, clean and abundant energy.

Why you should listen
Fusion, putting it briefly, is what happens inside the sun: intense heat and pressure combine to convert hydrogen into helium, releasing heat and energy in a self-sustaining reaction. Harnessing that same kind of reaction could someday solve the energy crisis here on Earth, and the US (at the National Ignition Facility in California, using the world's most powerful laser), Europe (at ITER) and China are all working on fusion in multi-billion-dollar labs. Meanwhile, just outside Vancouver, a private-government collaboration spending millions-with-an-m is keeping pace.
 
At General Fusion, plasma physicist Michel Laberge hopes to start a fusion reaction by combining several techniques in one reactor. Inside a spherical chamber, molten lead-lithium is spun up into a vortex, then shot with a pulse of magnetically contained plasma -- meanwhile, around the edge of the sphere, an array of pistons will drive a pressure wave into the center of the sphere, compressing the plasma to fusion conditions. General Fusion is designing and protoyping each piece of this system.
More profile about the speaker
Michel Laberge | Speaker | TED.com