HEILION - BRINGING FUSION ENERGY TO EVERETT & BEYOND
Kari Petrasek introduced our speaker, Jessie Barton. Jessie is a graduate of Purdue University and is the communication’s lead for Helion. One sensed from the first few minutes of her presentation that she was very knowledgeable about her company, about the theoretical aspects of the physics involved in fusion, and the steps Helion has been taking to produce an effective generator using fusion as the power source for unlimited clean energy.
To know what Helion is doing we need to know what Fusion is and why fusion is being pursued as an energy source.
- Fusion occurs when two atoms, Helium 3 and Deuterium (a form of Hydrogen), combine to form a single atom, releasing energy. This is the same process the sun and other stars use to make energy.
What is the advantage of fusion energy over other forms of energy?
- The source of energy is cheap, clean, and plentiful.
- It would mean the end of having to use fossil fuels.
- It would be the greatest antidote to climate change that the human race cold reasonably ask for.
- Can power a home for 865 years.
- Can power an electric car for 35 million miles.
- Replaces 10 million pounds of coal.
- Replaces 1 million gallons of oil.
- No “melt down” risk.
- Carbon free.
- Little waste (Tritium is radioactive but has a very short half-life.)
What is Helion’s process to produce power using fusion?
- Helion’s plasma accelerator raises fusion fuel to 100 million degrees Celsius and directly extracts electricity with a high efficiency pulsed approach.
Formation
- Deuterium and Helium 3 fuel is heated to plasma conditions.
- Magnets confine this plasma in a Field Reserved Configuration (FRC).
Acceleration
- Magnets accelerate two FRC’s to 1 million miles per hour from opposite ends of the 40 foot-long accelerator. They collide in the center.
Compression
- When the FRC’s collide in the center of the of the system; they are further compressed by a powerful magnetic field until they reach fusion temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius.
What has transpired at Helion to date?
- Helion has worked since 2013 to produce a fusion generator.
- They have raised over $500,000,000.00 in capital that will be used to complete the construction of the company’s seventh generation fusion generator. This generator is expected to be completed in 2024 and is expected to be the first fusion device capable of demonstrating net electrical production.
Jessie provided us with a look at the possible future of power and what a company based in Everett may do to help create the method to harvest clean, sustainable energy for the world.
Questions/Comments
President Elect Neil asked what the left over by products of fusion energy production is?
- It produces Helium (an inert gas) and Tritium whish is radio active but has a very short half-life.
Scott Casselman asked why is Helion based in Everett?
- There was space availability for their offices and manufacturing plant and access to production workers (Boeing people).
David Chan asked if Helion had competition?
- There are29 companies around the world working on fusion energy and 4 are in the Puget sound area with 2 of those here in Everett. All are doing the process differently from each other.
Anonymous Rotarian (I didn’t catch who) asked how do you measure 100 million degrees Celsius?
- Measure practical movement and lots of other diagnostics to determine the amount of heat.
Ken, the father of Jessica the CHS student of the month asked how do you house 100 million degrees Celsius without danger?
- The plasma is contained by a magnetic field inside the plasma accelerator where it can’t touch anything solid. The amount of matter which is at the high temperature is tiny (picture the size of ions).
