Fusion reactor in Germany sets new duration record, maintaining operation for 43 seconds.
German Stellarator Breaks Fusion Research Record
In a groundbreaking achievement, the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Greifswald, Germany, has set a new world record in fusion research. The reactor maintained a high-performance plasma reaction for an impressive 43 seconds, surpassing previous records set by major tokamak reactors.
This remarkable feat was made possible through a meticulously controlled and synchronized fuel injection process. The fuel injector, developed by the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), delivered 90 pellets of frozen hydrogen ions during the 43-second run. European partners, including CIEMAT research center in Spain and HUN-REN Center for Energy Research in Budapest, provided crucial components for the fuel system.
The precision and consistency of the energy delivery were vital in ensuring the balance between plasma temperature and fuel injection. Any mismatch could have destabilized the reaction in the Wendelienstein 7-X.
Professor Thomas Klinger from the Max Planck Institute emphasized the significance of the result, stating that "elevating the triple product to tokamak levels during long plasma pulses marks another important milestone on the way toward a power-plant-capable stellarator." The triple product, which takes into account plasma density, ion temperature, and energy confinement time, reached a performance threshold in the Wendelstein 7-X.
The international collaboration on the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator experiment was extensive, with scientists and engineers from the Max Planck Institute joining forces with researchers from other European institutes such as the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) in Poland. They all worked together on research and collaboration related to fusion technology and plasma physics.
The Wendelienstein 7-X employs a microwave heating system based on electron cyclotron resonance, which is regarded as the most effective for fusion experiments of this kind. The microwave heating technique played a crucial role in achieving and maintaining stable plasma conditions.
Reaching this level is essential for developing reactors that can eventually produce more energy than they consume. This experiment marks the longest duration ever recorded for a stable fusion plasma, pushing stellarators closer to becoming viable contenders in the race for sustainable, carbon-free energy production.
