Check this out.

[LightningGSX]

http://science.howstuffworks.com/fusion-reactor.htm

That's where I read up about the ITER test plant in france, and how they are using a donut shaped enclosure for the reaction to take place inside. I guess I find it interesting since I currently work on fission plants. I think fusion plants would be sweet, but hopefully they don't pop up too quick or I will be out of a job!
Does the ITER even exist yet? Their website says 2016.Anyway, it could be decades before they even reach the break-even point, if they ever do.

[Halon]

You're asking the wrong person. If you read that article, then you know as much as me. I was just curious on how far fusion research had came along, so I did a search on it about a month ago, and found that. So that's about all I know.

It also sounded like they were saying Fusion is also fairly safe as far as if it ever get's unstable if I remember right. Something like that if it does get unstable, the reaction will just die. That's kinda neat, no Spiderman out of control reactions sucking in an entire city!

[Matt D.]

It also sounded like they were saying Fusion is also fairly safe as far as if it ever get's unstable if I remember right. Something like that if it does get unstable, the reaction will just die. That's kinda neat, no Spiderman out of control reactions sucking in an entire city!
Yeah, fusion doesn't rely on a cascade reaction like fission.

[LightningGSX]

If you want to see more cool stuff, google "Farnsworth Fusor" or "IEC fusion" or "IEC fusor".These are small amateur built, extremely simple deuterium reactors, that can actually produce fusion at a point in the center of 2 electrodes(looks like a mini star).They can be built for as little as a few hundred dollars, with fairly common parts.Particles are accelerated towards the inner electrode from all directions, some collide in the center and fuse.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c1/Fusor_running.jpg

[Matt D.]

A good journal of a guy who built his own fusor: http://www.brian-mcdermott.com/brianfusor2.htm

What I don't understand is I thought fusing atoms created a LOT of energy. This is being done inside a regular stainless steel sphere.

[LightningGSX]

There a lot of math that I don't really understand, but here's what I make of it.First, in general, this is "just barely" fusion.Most of the ions either miss each other in the center and turn around to make a another trip towards the center, where they'll probably miss again.And alot hit the electrode, so what it amounts to, is very few ions actually fuse.Also, by nature of the design, considerable more electrons have to go into it(uses more power), than ions it can accelerate.Considering that, and the fact most of the ions don't fuse, it will always consume much more energy than it can produce from fusion.Finally, fusion produces neutrons, which can't be contained by IEC because of their neutral charge, so most of the fusion energy is radiated away.Their only real commercial purpose is as a neutron source