It is called KSTAR, a device to confine plasma and can withstand temperatures 6 times hotter than the center of the Sun.
This upgrade is intended to contribute to the world’s largest thermonuclear project (ITER) with the participation of 35 countries including the United States.
< strong>What is nuclear fusion?
Nuclear fusion is a process that produces energy by combining two atoms into a correspondingly larger atom. similar to how our Sun produces energy.
Unlike nuclear fission currently used in power plants fusion does not produce radioactive waste and delivering significantly 3-4 times more energy efficiency.
In addition, it does not emit carbon dioxide thus reducing the impact on the environment.
Approaches to achieving nuclear fusion include the use of lasers and magnetic confinement.
Magnetic confinement will be carried out in tokamaks chambers using polar magnets strong enough to contain very hot plasma. Plasma is created when atoms are heated to extremely high temperatures.
However, recreating fusion conditions on Earth requires temperatures about 6 times higher than those in the center of the Sun.
A big step forward
In fusion reactors, diverters play an important role. This device will be in direct contact with the plasma created by the fusion reaction.
Its main function is to reflect particles produced in the reaction thereby maintaining the conditions necessary to prolong the fusion reaction.
KSTAR was originally created Equipped with a carbon diverter, scientists have recently improved it by replacing this part with tungsten.
The choice of tungsten is based on special physical properties that make it suitable for a specific application. This is a metal that can withstand the extreme temperatures created by the plasma from the fusion reaction.
Specifically when the plasma consisting of positively charged ions and electrons comes into contact with the tungsten diverter the Tungsten atoms with greater mass reflect plasma particles off their surfaces.
This has the effect of minimizing energy loss from the plasma allowing the fusion reaction to be maintained for a longer period of time.
Therefore by choosing the KSTAR tungsten redirection seeks to improve the duration and overall performance of the fusion reaction.
Engineers have now operated the structure for 30 seconds at 100 million degrees Celsius and is setting an ambitious goal of increasing this number to 300 seconds by the end of 2026.
Advances from KSTAR will help provide critical data for project development and optimization ITER the world’s largest nuclear fusion reactor.
It is being built in France and begins first plasma production in 2025 and large-scale operations begin in 2035.
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