In a surprising twist, a team of researchers at Lehigh University has discovered that mayonnaise can be a valuable tool for understanding nuclear fusion. This creamy condiment, often associated with sandwiches and salads, is now being used to study the complex physics behind plasma behaviour in fusion reactors.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), nuclear fusion is a process by which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier one while releasing massive amounts of energy. Fusion reactions take place in a state of matter called plasma — a hot, charged gas made of positive ions and free-moving electrons with unique properties distinct from solids, liquids or gases. The search for limitless clean energy has led researchers to explore the extreme conditions of the Sun. The sun's energy is considered limitless because it's a renewable resource constantly replenished by nuclear fusion. This process, where hydrogen atoms combine to form helium, releases a tremendous amount of energy in the form of light and heat.
Professor Banerjee and his team are investigating the structural integrity of fusion capsules used in inertial confinement fusion, a process that involves compressing and heating hydrogen isotopes to extreme temperatures and pressures. The resulting plasma can be unstable due to hydrodynamic instabilities, which can reduce energy yield. In their 2019 paper, the team examined the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, a phenomenon that occurs when materials of different densities are placed on top of each other in an unstable manner.
While it may seem like an odd choice, mayonnaise's unique properties make it a suitable analogue for certain aspects of plasma. Despite its solid appearance, mayonnaise behaves like a fluid under pressure. It can exhibit elastic and plastic behaviour, meaning it can either bounce back to its original shape or deform permanently, just like plasma. Additionally, both mayonnaise and plasma can undergo phase transitions, moving from a solid or liquid state to a fluid or gaseous state. This property, combined with its ability to function without extreme temperatures and pressure, makes it an ideal material for studying plasma flow. Using a rotating wheel facility, the researchers simulated plasma conditions and discovered that mayonnaise undergoes several phases before becoming unstable. Initially, it deforms under stress but returns to its original shape when the stress is removed. A stable plastic phase follows this, and finally, the flow becomes unstable.
By studying the flow dynamics of mayonnaise under controlled conditions, researchers can gain insights into the instabilities that can occur in fusion reactors. These instabilities can hinder the efficiency of fusion reactions and reduce the overall energy output.
"Mayonnaise is a simple system that allows us to isolate and study specific aspects of plasma behaviour without the complexities of a full-scale fusion reactor," said Arindam Banerjee, a mechanical engineer at Lehigh University. "By understanding these instabilities, we can develop strategies to mitigate their effects and improve the performance of fusion reactors."
The team's research has focused on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, a phenomenon that occurs when a denser fluid is placed on top of a less dense fluid. This instability can lead to the formation of bubbles and spikes, which can disrupt the confinement of plasma in fusion reactors. By studying how mayonnaise behaves under different conditions of stress and pressure, the researchers have been able to identify the factors that contribute to the development of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. This information can be used to design fusion capsules that are more resistant to these instabilities.
Even though mayonnaise may seem like an unlikely ingredient for nuclear fusion research, the insights gained from these studies could help pave the way for the development of practical and efficient fusion reactors, which could provide a possibly limitless, clean and abundant source of energy.
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