CHE 351 (Hydrocarbon Chemistry) Name: Jaja-Wachuku Chukwuemeka ID: A Instructor: Wan Jin Jahng. Ph.D. Topic: Future Energy

Hypothesis  Using Helium-3 as a source of energy (Nuclear Fusion). Heliem-3 is a isotope of helium which lacks one neutron ( i.e. the missing neutron gives room for the production if clean energy). Heliem-3 is a isotope of helium which lacks one neutron ( i.e. the missing neutron gives room for the production if clean energy).

Specific Aim  To Provide a clean source of energy.  To Prevent radioactive diseases.  To provide a cheap and economical source of energy.

Mechanism  There are two ways in which energy can be harnessed from helium- 3:  The fusion of two helium-3 atoms  The Fusion of deuterium atom and a helium-3 atom.

Mechanisms

Mechanism Cont

Comparison of D-HE 3 And He 3 -HE 3 Power Plants

Comparison of helium-3 with other fusion fuels

Economic Value  1 tonne of helium-3 can produce 10,000 MW(36,000KWH) of electrical energy.  At 1 Billion Dollars a tonne, the energy cost is equivalent to oil at $7 per barrel ( Note: current oil prices are at $95.55 and $ per barrel for WTI and Brent crude oil respectively ).  Digging a patch of lunar surface roughly three-quarters of a square mile to a depth of about 9 ft. should yield about 220 pounds of helium- 3--enough to power a city the size of Dallas or Detroit for a year.

More on economic value  The total estimated cost for fusion development, rocket development and starting lunar operations would be about $15 billion. The International Thermonuclear Reactor Project, with a current estimated cost of $10 billion for a proof-of-concept reactor, is just a small part of the necessary development of tritium-based fusion and does not include the problems of commercialization and waste disposal.  The total estimated cost for fusion development, rocket development and starting lunar operations would be about $15 billion. The International Thermonuclear Reactor Project, with a current estimated cost of $10 billion for a proof-of-concept reactor, is just a small part of the necessary development of tritium-based fusion and does not include the problems of commercialization and waste disposal. Read more: Mining The Moon - Rare Minerals - Helium 3 - Popular MechanicsMining The Moon - Rare Minerals - Helium 3 - Popular Mechanics  Mining of helium 3 will facilitate the synthetization of more helium 3 to last for 5 more years reducing costs of space trips and saving billions of dollars.

Potential Problem  Helium-3 occurs naturally in small quantities on the earth surface.  Helium-3 is abundant on the surface of the moon, this makes mining this resource difficult.

Alternative Approach  More research should be done to know how to derive the isotope Helium-3 from helium which is abundant on the earth’s surface. THANK YOU!