Fission vs. Fusion – What’s the Difference?
The foundation of nuclear energy is harnessing the power
of atoms. Both fission and fusion are nuclear processes by
which atoms are altered to create energy, but what is the
difference between the two? Simply put, fission is the
division of one atom into two, and fusion is the
combination of two lighter atoms into a larger one.
They are opposing processes, and therefore very
different.
The word fission means “a splitting or breaking up into
parts”. Nuclear fission releases heat energy by splitting
atoms. The surprising discovery that it was possible to
make a nucleus divide was based on Albert Einstein’s
prediction that mass could be changed into energy. In
1939, scientist began experiments, and one year later
Enrico Fermi built the first nuclear reactor.
Nuclear fission takes place when a large, somewhat
unstable isotope (atoms with the same number of protons
but different number of neutrons) is bombarded by high-
speed particles, usually neutrons. These neutrons are
accelerated and then slammed into the unstable isotope,
causing it to fission, or break into smaller particles. During
the process, a neutron is accelerated and strikes the target
nucleus, which in the majority of nuclear power reactors
today is Uranium-235. This splits the target nucleus and
breaks it down into two smaller isotopes (the fission
products), three high-speed neutrons, and a large amount
of energy.
This resulting energy is then used to heat water in nuclear
reactors and ultimately produces electricity. The high-
speed electrons that are ejected become projectiles that
initiate other fission reactions, or chain reactions.
The word fusion means “a merging of separate elements
into a unified whole”. Nuclear fusion refers to the
“union of atomic nuclei to form heavier nuclei resulting in
the release of enormous amounts of energy”. Fusion
takes place when two low-mass isotopes, typically isotopes
of hydrogen, unite under conditions of extreme pressure
and temperature.
Fusion is what powers the sun. Atoms of Tritium and
Deuterium (isotopes of hydrogen, Hydrogen-3 and
Hydrogen-2, respectively) unite under extreme pressure
and temperature
to produce a neutron and a helium isotope. Along with
this, an enormous amount of energy is released, which is
several times the amount produced from fission.
Scientists continue to work on controlling nuclear fusion in
an effort to make a fusion reactor to produce electricity.
Some scientists believe there are opportunities with such a
power source since fusion creates less radioactive material
than fission and has a nearly unlimited fuel supply.
However, progress is slow due to challenges with
understanding how to control the reaction in a contained
space.
Both fission and fusion are nuclear reactions that produce
energy, but the applications are not the same. Fission is
the splitting of a heavy, unstable nucleus into two lighter
nuclei, and fusion is the process where two light nuclei
combine together releasing vast amounts of energy.
Fission is used in nuclear power reactors since it can be
controlled, while fusion is not utilized to produce power
since the reaction is not easily controlled and is expensive
to create the needed conditions for a fusion reaction.
Research continues into ways to better harness the power
of fusion, but research is in experimental stages. While
different, the two processes have an important role in the
past, present and future of energy creation.
Applications of Fission
A common application for nuclear fission is in the
generation of nuclear power. In a nuclear power plant,
energy from fission is used to heat water, which creates
steam to turn a turbine and generate electricity.
Approximately 20 percent of electricity in the United
States comes from nuclear power plants.
Another application of nuclear fission is in making nuclear
weapons. In a nuclear weapon, a triggering device is used
to initiate fission. One fragmentation leads to another,
resulting in a chain reaction that releases an enormous
amount of destructive energy.
Photovoltaic technology directly converts sunlight into
electricity. Solar thermal technology harnesses its heat.
These different technologies both tap the Sun’s energy,
locally and in large-scale solar farms.
Photovoltaic Solar Power
The photovoltaic effect (or photoelectric effect) converts
light into electricity. It was discovered by French physicist
Edmond Becquerel in 1839 and was first used in industrial
applications in 1954. The principle: an electric current
occurs when electrons are displaced. For this to happen,
photons (light particles) excite the outermost electrons
of the atoms of certain semiconductor elements.
In practice, light hitting a photovoltaic cell is converted
into electricity by a semiconductor, generally silicon.
A photovoltaic panel is made up of several cells producing
direct current, which is then converted into alternating
current by an inverter.
Panels can be used in small systems or large plants.
Low-Temperature Solar Thermal Power
Low-temperature solar thermal power technology
produces heat from the Sun’s rays and uses it directly.
Operating at temperatures below 100°C, the installations
cater to residential and commercial applications (hot water
and heating) as well as to a wide variety of industrial
needs. This technology accounts for the lion’s share
of solar power generated worldwide (See Close-Up: "Solar
in the Global Energy Mix").
Solar thermal collectors are used to absorb the heat from
the Sun’s rays and transfer it to a heat transfer fluid,
such as air, water or antifreeze, which in turn transports
it to the areas to be heated.
Most widespread are flat-plate collectors, which
are made up of a dark surface area that absorbs
the Sun’s rays and a layer of thermal insulation topped
with a sheet of glass that generates a greenhouse effect.
Collectors operate at up to 70°C above ambient
temperature. There are also solar thermal air collectors,
used for agricultural crop drying, for example, and
unglazed systems made using rubber or plastic, rather
than a glass covering, which are used primarily to heat
swimming pools. Vacuum tube collectors are best suited
to high-temperature industrial uses, such as cleaning
slaughterhouses or pasteurizing canned goods.
They are made up of glass vacuum tubes for optimal
thermal insulation. Inside, an absorber captures the solar
energy and transfers it to a fluid.
Renewable energies generate from natural sources that
can be replaced over a relatively short time scale.
Examples of renewable energies include solar, wind,
hydro, geothermal and biomass. Nonrenewable energies
come from resources that are not replaced or are
replaced only very slowly by natural processes. The
primary sources for nonrenewable energies in the world
are fossil fuels -- coal, gas and oil. Nuclear energy is also
considered nonrenewable because there is a limited
supply of uranium in the Earth's crust. When planning the
energy profile for various communities, the advantages
and disadvantages of renewable vs. nonrenewable
energies need to be considered.
Advantages of Renewable Energy Resources
Because renewable energies are not burned like fossil
fuels, they do not release pollutants into the atmosphere
and provide a cleaner, healthier environment. Sources of
renewable energy are found everywhere in the world and
cannot be depleted. Costs for tapping renewable energies
are decreasing as the technology advances and, once
established, maintenance costs are generally low. Because
trained technicians are needed to maintain the
equipment, some renewable energy plants have the
potential to generate more jobs than highly mechanized
fossil fuel plants. Most importantly, there are little or no
greenhouse gas emissions associated with renewable
energies that are contributing to driving up the planet's
temperature.
Disadvantages of Renewable Energy Resources
Initial costs for setting up renewable energy plants are
often quite high and require careful planning and
implementation. Building dams, for example, for
hydroelectric power requires high initial capital and high
maintenance expenses. Renewable energies like solar and
wind require large tracts of land to produce energy
quantities competitive with fossil fuel burning. Renewable
sources of energy are also affected by weather, reducing
their reliability. For example, wind turbines only rotate it
there is enough wind at a given speed and solar panels
do not operate at night time and are less efficient on
cloudy days.
Advantages of Nonrenewable Energy Resources
Fossil fuels are the world's traditional energy sources and
electrical power plants, vehicles and various industrial
plants are built around using them. Many nonrenewable
energies are more reliable than most renewables and are
not subject to weather conditions. They provide
continuous --not intermittent, weather-dependent --
energy. New technologies, such as carbon, capture and
storage (CCS) are emerging that may allow fossil fuel use
with less harmful effects to the environment This process
captures carbon dioxide (CO2) from electrical and
industrial plants and stores it underground instead of
releasing it to the atmosphere. The U.S. Department of
Energy currently has several CCS projects in place to
determine the long-term feasibility of this technology.
Disadvantages of Nonrenewable Energy Resources
Fossil fuels are in a limited supply and will one day be
depleted. Processes for extracting and transporting fossil
fuels have caused widespread environmental damage
from strip mining and accidental oil spills. Most
importantly, burning fossil fuels releases harmful
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, primarily CO2.
Incorporating CCS technologies into existing fossil fuel
plants to prevent CO2 emissions is extremely costly.
Nuclear power plants do not release C02, but pose other
risks such as potential radiation leaks and waste storage
problems. The costs for building new nuclear power
plants have risen sharply making them less economical
than other types of power.
There are two types of direct solar energy technology:
solar thermal, also known as solar hot water and solar
photovoltaic (PV). Both of these technologies collect the
suns rays that reach the atmosphere and convert them to
energy. While they both rely on the sun for energy how
they do it differs dramatically.
Solar Photovoltaic Technology
Photovoltaic energy is based on the photovoltaic effect, by
which a photon (elementary particle of light) impacts a
panel composed of semiconductors. Silicon is the main
element in Semi-conductors. When the photon impacts
semi-conductors it releases electrons. This reaction
generates electricity through exposure to light. In
photovoltaic energy solar panels, the semiconductors are
shaped into thin layers that produce an electric current.
These semiconductors comprise the core element of solar
cells Semiconductors capture the electric current
converting it into electricity for the house or business.
Solar Thermal Technology
Solar thermal operates on the principle that a fluid (water
or other fluid) circulates in tubes in the solar panel while
the sun’s rays heat it. Flat plate panels or evacuated
tubes hold water and circulate it through the
water heating or home heating system with the use of
pumps, These are “active systems”. Water that
circulates using the thermosyphon method is a method of
passive heat exchange. Thermosyphon is a natural
method based on convection; as the water heats up it will
push the cooler water. Residential solar thermal heating is
usually combined with backup boilers to provide year-
round heat and hot water. Solar thermal energy is used to
heat water and is also used for home heating by means of
radiant floor, wall, ceiling, and roof piping in radiant
panels.
Solar photovoltaic panels produce electricity, while solar
thermal systems produce heat. While both of these
processes are energy efficient, solar photovoltaic only
works during the day when the sun is out. It can work on
cloudy days, but the energy producing capacity will reduce
to 10-30%. Water heated by solar thermal will store for
later use making it more energy efficient. Most solar
thermal systems have hot water storage tanks that will
store the heated water until needed.
