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Nuclear fusion books

Hi all, I'm a year 12 student who's applying to uni this year and I'm really interested in nuclear fusion and planned on doing physics in uni and go on study nuclear fusion. Is there any books about nuclear fusion that is accessible to a high school student (not too technical) Thank you :smile:

Reply 1

Teenie2

Why not ask Dr Kathy Romer who's doing a Q&A session on TSR tomorrow at http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4164901

Reply 2

charlielao

Original post by Teenie2

Why not ask Dr Kathy Romer who's doing a Q&A session on TSR tomorrow at http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4164901

Thanks, I will :smile:

Reply 3

alevelstresss

Wow I was pretty much in the same position as you!! I am about to finish year 13 and I think nuclear fusion is something big and oncoming for physicists.

I don't have any book suggestions, but if you're very interested, go and visit the experimental reactor in Culham, they do tours several times a year in the evening and it was really really interesting.

http://www.ccfe.ac.uk/visits.aspx

check out 'open evenings'.

Reply 4

charlielao

Original post by alevelstresss

Thanks a lot. I will try to go. :smile:

Do you mind telling me what are you going to study in universities? and how to you plan to continue to do nuclear fusion research

Reply 5

alevelstresss

Original post by charlielao

Thanks a lot. I will try to go. :smile:

Do you mind telling me what are you going to study in universities? and how to you plan to continue to do nuclear fusion research

physics at Warwick or Leicester, and idk, ill just do the course and see where my masters takes me, its a long way off but i would love to work in a facility like that or like ITER

Reply 6

Joinedup

Probably you'd find rather general 1st year undergrad text books on physics or astrophysics the most accessible... a book that's cover to cover fusion would probably either assume knowledge you haven't got or be a coffee table book for non scientists that tells you less than you already know from doing A level physics.

Reply 7

alow

Original post by Joinedup

This.

You don't yet know enough physics or maths to understand a proper book on fusion.

I'd suggest Tipler & Mosca for physics and Riley, Hobson and Bence for methods.

Reply 8

physicsphysics91

Durham has extremely good fusion research though you'd need A*A*A at a level and a 1st in a 4 year integrated masters for the PhD.

Reply 9

Rather_Cynical

I don't think you'd need to read into a Nuclear Fusion book specifically, but it's more the ability to demonstrate the passion about nuclear as a whole. Kenneth Krane does a wonderful book on Introductory Nuclear Physics, the more advanced material will be too dense until you've got a lot of undergraduate knowledge in your mind. Chapter 13 and 14 will be important for Personal Statement purposes.

There are other authors who argue in favour of nuclear energy, like Robert Hargraves for the thorium fuel cycle; Stewart Brand for addressing climate issues with geoengineering and nuclear; and Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air by David MacKay.

There are Google Tech talks and Imperial College London lectures on Nuclear Fusion in its various forms (magnetic confinement being the leading candidate, the laser version has extremely high losses - think "worse efficiency than photosythesis" kind of territory).

If you visit the CCFE and discuss the material challenges of tritium absorption and neutron damage and high temperatures affecting the superconducting magnets then that should make your application more competitive. There is also something known as the Lawson Criterion you might want to look up, as well as some of the challenges of Nuclear Fusion like bremsstrahlung (braking radiation) caused by the deflection of particles.

The concerns with nuclear fission can be addressed too, if the coolant and fuel cycle were re-considered. A lot of the events that led to Chernobyl/TMI/Fukushima were based on the problems associated with the gas phase of water above its atmospheric pressure boiling point (thus requiring active safety systems). Gen IV reactors are designed to address these issues, but the political will is not necessarily there.