• WoodScientist [she/her]@hexbear.net
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    10 days ago

    One advantage of these reactors is they’re completely meltdown proof. You design the fission component to be sub-critical - the fission core can only maintain a reaction as long as the neutron flux from the fusion reactor is maintained. The neutron flux doesn’t just enhance fission, it’s a necessary component for the fission to keep going at all. And the fusion portion doesn’t make net energy, it’s just a glorified way of turning electricity into neutrons.

    If anything goes wrong, you just flip a switch and shut down the fusion part of the reactor. Temp starts increasing too much? A sensor flips a switch and the fusion reactor shuts off automatically.