What is stellarator physics?

A stellarator is a plasma device that relies primarily on external magnets to confine a plasma. Scientists researching magnetic confinement fusion

magnetic confinement fusion

Magnetic confinement fusion is an approach to generate thermonuclear fusion power that uses magnetic fields to confine fusion fuel in the form of a plasma. Magnetic confinement is one of two major branches of fusion energy research, along with inertial confinement fusion.

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Magnetic confinement fusion - Wikipedia

aim to use stellarator devices as a vessel for nuclear fusion reactions. The name refers to the possibility of harnessing the power source of the stars, such as the Sun.

What does the stellarator do?

A stellarator is a machine that uses magnetic fields to confine plasma in the shape of a donut, called a torus. These magnetic fields allow scientists to control the plasma particles and create the right conditions for fusion reactions.

What is the difference between tokamak and stellarator?

In the tokamak, the rotational transform of a helical magnetic field is formed by a toroidal field generated by external coils together with a poloidal field generated by the plasma current. In the stellarator, the twisting field is produced entirely by external non-axisymmetric coils.

Why is it called a tokamak?

The term "tokamak" comes to us from a Russian acronym that stands for "toroidal chamber with magnetic coils" (тороидальная камера с магнитными катушками). To start the process, air and impurities are first evacuated from the vacuum chamber.

How does a tokamak work?

In a tokamak, magnetic field coils confine plasma particles to allow the plasma to achieve the conditions necessary for fusion. One set of magnetic coils generates an intense “toroidal” field, directed the long way around the torus.

7b The stellarator and other confinement concepts

Where is the tokamak?

On a cleared, 42-hectare site in the south of France, building has been underway since 2010. The central Tokamak Building was handed over to the ITER Organization in March 2020 for the start of machine assembly. The first major event of this new phase was the installation of the 1,250-tonne cryostat base in May 2020.

How big is a tokamak?

830 cubic metres. The ITER Tokamak will be the largest ever built, with a plasma volume of 830 cubic metres.

How do you make a tokamak?

How to create a tokamak configuration: (a) If the current flows, a magnetic field is generated around the current. (b) Arranging circular coils around the torus and energizing the coil produces a magnetic field in the toroidal direction. (c) Toroidal plasma current produces a magnetic field linking the torus.

What does the word tokamak mean?

Definition of tokamak

: a toroidal device for producing controlled nuclear fusion that involves the confining and heating of a gaseous plasma by means of an electric current and magnetic field.

What is ITER tokamak?

The ITER Tokamak

The tokamak is an experimental machine designed to harness the energy of fusion. ITER will be the world's largest tokamak, with a plasma radius (R) of 6.2 m and a plasma volume of 840 m³.

What is poloidal field?

The poloidal field is one component of the magnetic field and essential for plasma confinement in a tokamak. It is generated by the plasma current; this is in contrast to the larger toroidal field, which is generated externally.

How does a spheromak work?

The plasma current in a spheromak is sustained efficiently by the injection of helicity from an external source. Helicity current drive arises when 3-dimensional magnetic and fluid velocity fluctuations generate a “dynamo electric field,” which balances resistive loses.

How much does a stellarator cost?

The total investment for the stellarator itself over 1997–2014 amounted to €370 million, while the total cost for the IPP site in Greifswald including investment plus operating costs (personnel and material resources) amounted to €1.06 billion for that 18-year period.

How does Z-pinch reactor work?

The flow Z-pinch is an innovative concept to magnetically confine a high-temperature, high-density plasma. The Z-pinch has a simple, linear configuration with no applied magnetic fields. The self-field generated by the axial current confines and compresses the plasma.

How does inertial confinement fusion work?

In an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) reactor, a tiny solid pellet of fuel—such as deuterium-tritium (D-T)—would be compressed to tremendous density and temperature so that fusion power is produced in the few nanoseconds before the pellet blows apart.

Can a tokamak explode?

During operation, the ITER Tokamak chamber will contain only a tiny amount, less than one tenth of a gram, of hydrogen fuel at any given moment. If disruption occurs during a pulse, the reaction cools and ends. "A nuclear explosion in ITER is simply not possible," says Loughlin.

What fuel does tokamak use?

Once the fusion reaction is established in a tokamak, deuterium and lithium are the external fuels required to sustain it. Both of these fuels are readily available.

How does a tokamak not melt?

Fusion powers the sun by forcing hydrogen atoms to combine into helium and releasing enormous amounts of energy. A tokamak uses strong magnetic fields to confine a plasma that is heated above 200 million ℃, maximizing the efficiency of hydrogen isotope fusion.

Is Cold Fusion theoretically possible?

There is currently no accepted theoretical model that would allow cold fusion to occur.

How is tokamak heated?

Within the tokamak, the changing magnetic fields that are used to control the plasma produce a heating effect. The magnetic fields create a high-intensity electrical current through induction, and as this current travels through the plasma, electrons and ions become energized and collide.

What material is a tokamak made of?

To meet this challenge, the materials that need to be developed for the tokamaks are steels for the first wall and other structurals, copper alloys for the heat sink, and beryllium for facing the plasma.

How does a spherical tokamak work?

In a spherical tokamak, the plasma inside sits closer to the centre of the ring than in traditional designs, meaning that it experiences a higher magnetic field. The compactness of spherical tokamaks means they can achieve higher magnetic pressures, which enables them to achieve higher output powers.

Why are tokamaks used?

tokamak, Device used in nuclear-fusion research for magnetic confinement of plasma. It consists of a complex system of magnetic fields that confine the plasma of reactive charged particles in a hollow, doughnut-shaped container.