VOA慢速英語: 核聚變反應(yīng)堆將很快推出？（雙語）

Is a Fusion Nuclear Reactor Coming Soon?

核聚變反應(yīng)堆會很快推出？

Experimental nuclear fusion reactor is seen at a laboratory in the Southwest Institute of Physics in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. (File)

The United States technological organization Lockheed Martin says it will produce a working fusion nuclear reactor within five years. Lockheed Martin says it may have an operating prototype by 2017, and a version for sale by 2022. Fusion involves forcing together atomic nuclei.

美國科技組織的洛克基德·馬丁稱五年內(nèi)，將會建成一個核聚變反應(yīng)堆。他說預(yù)計到2017年能呈現(xiàn)一個操作雛形，到2022年，就能夠投入使用。核聚變就是讓原子核發(fā)生相互作用。

But the Lockheed Martin announcement has met with disbelief. Critics say nuclear fusion as a power source that can be sustained over time will not be developed anytime soon. But they also say that once the process is ready, it will be as huge a development as the discovery of electricity. Whenever it arrives, nuclear fusion promises to be the future source of cheap and safe energy.

但是洛克基德·馬丁說有很多人不相信能做到這一點。批評者認為和聚變反應(yīng)作為一種能量來源，隨著時間的流逝也不會改變，不應(yīng)該這么快的研發(fā)。不過他們說一旦準備工作做好，就會像發(fā)現(xiàn)電一樣成為一個巨大的發(fā)現(xiàn)。不管什么時候建成，核聚變反應(yīng)堆都會成為未來既廉價又安全的能源。

About 400 nuclear power plants operate in the world. All create heat by fission – dividing atoms of heavy, radioactive elements like uranium and plutonium. Such plants cost a lot to build. But they also provide a huge amount of energy. Still, their highly radioactive fuel makes them dangerous.

世界上大概有400多個核電站，都是通過核聚變反應(yīng)——把重原子、類似鈾和钚的放射性元素分裂來發(fā)電。建這些核電站花費很大，但同時也會供應(yīng)很多的能量。但是，放射性的燃料還是很危險。

There is also the problem of what to do with still dangerous spent, or used up, fuel. Also, the fusion plants can be used for building nuclear weapons.

在處理這些放射性的燃料方面仍存在很多問題，核電站還可以用來建造核武器。

Fusion provides a much safer way to use nuclear power for creating electricity. But it is much more difficult to do this process, which is the opposite of fission.

核聚變提供了另一種更加安全的方式使用核電來供電。但是要實現(xiàn)這以目標面臨更多困難，這跟核裂變完全相反。

Both the U.S. and European Union have been experimenting with fusion reactors. They say they do not expect them to operate for many years.

美國和歐盟都在試驗核聚變反應(yīng)堆，他們稱在很多年內(nèi)，并不指望能夠運作使用。

David Ingram leads the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Ohio University. He says a fusion reactor would be a welcome development.

大衛(wèi)·英格拉姆斯是俄亥俄大學物理和天文系的主任，他說核聚變反應(yīng)堆的研究是個受歡迎的研發(fā)。

Scientist Ingram says fusion reactors use isotopes of the lightest element, hydrogen. He says they make a million times more energy than released from burning coal.

科學家英格拉姆斯稱核聚變反應(yīng)堆使用最輕元素的同位素——氫。這種同位元素釋放出來的能量是燃燒煤炭釋放能量的100萬倍。

Scientists also say there would be no danger of explosions, unlike today’s nuclear centers. The researchers also say fusion reactors could not have a core meltdown, such as those that happened at the Chernobyl and Fukushima reactors.

科學家稱與當今的核電站不同，核聚變爆炸不會有危險。研究者稱核聚變反應(yīng)堆不會有核融化，不會像切爾諾貝利和福島發(fā)生的情況那樣。

I’m Jonathan Evans.

我是喬納森·伊凡斯______________________________________________________

Words in This Story

prototype – n. an original model on which something is patterned

sustain – v. to provide what is needed for something or someone to exist, continue, etc.

radioactive – adj. having or producing a powerful and dangerous form of energy called radiation

isotope – n. any one of various forms in which the atoms of a chemical element can occur

fuse – v. to join or become joined because of heat or a chemical reaction

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