Carding 4 Carders
Professional
A look at the technologies of the future today.
Last week, the world's newest and largest fusion reactor, the JT-60SA, was launched in Japan. This reactor uses magnetic fields from superconducting coils to trap ionized gas in a doughnut-shaped vacuum chamber, in order to stimulate the fusion of hydrogen nuclei and release energy. The machine, which is four stories high, is capable of holding plasma heated to 200 million degrees Celsius for about 100 seconds.
"This success proves to the world that the reactor is fulfilling its core function," said Sam Davis, project manager at Fusion for Energy. However, it will take another two years for JT-60SA to start producing the plasma needed for physics experiments.
JT-60SA will support ITER, the largest international fusion reactor under construction in France. In turn, ITER will rely on technologies and operational experience that will be tested on the JT-60SA.
The 15.5-meter-high JT-60SA reactor is half the size of the ITER. Despite numerous delays and problems in the project, such as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and a short circuit in 2021, the JT-60SA team continues to work towards achieving its goals.
However, the reactor has a limitation: only hydrogen and its isotope deuterium will be used in experiments, and not tritium , a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that is considered the most efficient for energy production.
By 2050, Japan also plans to build a DEMO-demonstration power plant, which will be an intermediate stage from JT-60SA and ITER research to commercial fusion.
Last week, the world's newest and largest fusion reactor, the JT-60SA, was launched in Japan. This reactor uses magnetic fields from superconducting coils to trap ionized gas in a doughnut-shaped vacuum chamber, in order to stimulate the fusion of hydrogen nuclei and release energy. The machine, which is four stories high, is capable of holding plasma heated to 200 million degrees Celsius for about 100 seconds.
"This success proves to the world that the reactor is fulfilling its core function," said Sam Davis, project manager at Fusion for Energy. However, it will take another two years for JT-60SA to start producing the plasma needed for physics experiments.
JT-60SA will support ITER, the largest international fusion reactor under construction in France. In turn, ITER will rely on technologies and operational experience that will be tested on the JT-60SA.
The 15.5-meter-high JT-60SA reactor is half the size of the ITER. Despite numerous delays and problems in the project, such as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and a short circuit in 2021, the JT-60SA team continues to work towards achieving its goals.
However, the reactor has a limitation: only hydrogen and its isotope deuterium will be used in experiments, and not tritium , a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that is considered the most efficient for energy production.
By 2050, Japan also plans to build a DEMO-demonstration power plant, which will be an intermediate stage from JT-60SA and ITER research to commercial fusion.
