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wwarnout t1_ivwfot3 wrote

If it's based on tritium, they have to overcome the problem of a severe tritium shortage (something like 25 kg is all that exists).

Other than that, get back to us in 30 years.

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redmechan46 t1_ivwzjs0 wrote

Isn't trituim a byproduct of nuclear reactors. The US gov has been burying waste since the late 60s so there should be more than that in the US alone. Granted digging it up would be a pain but worth it for the future of clean energy and energy independence.

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FishMichigan t1_ivzirtk wrote

Tritium has leaked into the ground water around a lot of nuclear plants in the USA.

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urmomaisjabbathehutt t1_ivyb2f4 wrote

It will be also a byporoduct of the fusion itself by using lithium blankets in the containmet chamber too

there are issues but they know it and did take into consideration how much tritium there is

It isn't as if they just found out of the blue and didn't thought about it before spending all the money into their designs

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ItsAConspiracy t1_iw6y3u5 wrote

Any production D-T fusion reactor would breed its own tritium from lithium. Doing this effectively has been a major part of fusion research for a long time now. Generally the idea is to have a breeding blanket with lithium plus a neutron multiplier like beryllium or lead. In some designs that material doubles as the primary coolant.

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