• Björn Tantau
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    812 hours ago

    I really wonder what power plants will do with the helium once they get fusion working. Maybe a balloon business on the side isn’t such a bad idea.

    • @[email protected]
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      88 hours ago

      I mean too much Helium isn’t a problem. It’s one of the few (only?) elements that will just disappear if you don’t do anything with it.

      It’s light enough that it rises to the very tip top of the earth’s atmosphere and is then stripped away by solar radiation. That’s why is a depleting natural resource, not because it’s burned or used or anything, but because it just escapes.

      • Daemon Silverstein
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        25 hours ago

        It’s one of the few (only?) elements that will just disappear if you don’t do anything with it.

        ** Lavoisier crying noises **

        • @[email protected]
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          24 hours ago

          At the height of the French Revolution, he was charged with tax fraud and selling adulterated tobacco, and was guillotined despite appeals to spare his life in recognition of his contributions to science. A year and a half later, he was exonerated by the French government.

          Goodness

    • @[email protected]
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      99 hours ago

      In a perfect world stick it in a secondary reactor and make lithium. But that’s obviously even further off than hydrogen fusion.

      • GladiusB
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        24 hours ago

        It takes a lot to get those working and stay running. I am one of the guys that supplies it. Well over 100 liters to even start it.

        • @[email protected]
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          34 hours ago

          Dayum. How often do they need refilling? With rebco magnets out there, surprised we’re not using more ln2 instead.

          Maybe just older machines?

          • GladiusB
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            11 hour ago

            I supply a university with many labs. I route 30 trucks a day. Trends are there. But I’m guessing about once a month? Per lab?

    • @[email protected]
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      29 hours ago

      The amount of helium produced is truly miniscule, in the order of a few cubic centimeters. They’ll just pump it into the ground somewhere, assuming we ever get fusion working