Articles tagged with Fusion Reactors
A research team has found a novel operating regime that prevents destructive plasma instabilities in fusion reactors, allowing for the controlled injection of particles at the plasma edge. This approach could lead to a more stable and efficient fusion reactor design.
Researchers at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have successfully applied boron powder to tungsten components in tokamaks, improving plasma confinement and reducing the risk of edge-localized modes. The innovative approach uses a PPPL-developed powder dropper to deposit boron coatings while minimizing disruptions to the magnetic field.
The Department of Energy has awarded Early Career Research Program funding to three Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists. The awardees will receive $500,000 annually for five years to support their research in fusion energy, advanced scientific computing, and biogeochemical controls on phosphorus cycling.
Researchers have designed simpler magnets for twisty stellarator facilities, which could aid the development of a stellarator power plant. The new magnets have straighter sections than before while preserving their strength and accuracy.
A team of scientists from Tokyo Institute of Technology and Japan have identified CVD-SiC and FeCrAl alloys as compatible with liquid LiPb at high temperatures. The findings provide crucial information for the development of sustainable fusion reactors.
Calculations at TU Wien show that Ramjet propulsion, which involves capturing protons and using them for a nuclear fusion reactor, cannot work as proposed. The analysis revealed huge dimensions required to achieve even minimal thrust, making it impossible for current technology to achieve.
Researchers found a strong correlation between irradiation damage and the mechanical, thermal, and tritium release performances of tritium breeding materials. The study provides guidance for material optimization and design of fusion reactor blankets.
Researchers used fusion reactors to test spacecraft heat shield materials, achieving conditions similar to those encountered during high-speed atmospheric entries. The experiments demonstrated improved accuracy in modeling heat shield behavior, offering promise for developing advanced materials necessary for future missions.
Researchers have discovered a way to harness hot helium ash to drive rotation in fusion reactors, reducing instabilities and turbulence. By capturing the energy of hot fusion ash via alpha channeling, plasma rotation can be stabilized, leading to improved performance and reduced operating costs.
Researchers at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility have successfully integrated hot cores and cool edges in fusion reactors using powder injection and Super H-mode. This approach achieves significant edge cooling with modest effects on core performance, making it compatible with larger devices like ITER. The results suggest a promising...
Researchers have achieved a record yield of over 1.3 megajoules from fusion reactions at the National Ignition Facility, surpassing previous experiments by an 8-fold and 25-fold margin. This milestone puts scientists at the threshold of fusion ignition, a crucial goal for the facility.
Researchers have developed a novel process to manufacture extreme heat-resistant carbon-carbon composites, which will be tested on a U.S. Navy rocket launching with NASA this fall. Additionally, they created a technology that more realistically emulates user activities to improve cyber testbeds and prevent cyberattacks.
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute and PPPL confirm a major advance in stellarator performance, achieving temperatures twice as great as the sun's core. The XICS diagnostic instrument revealed a sharp reduction in neoclassical transport, a type of heat loss that has historically been greater in classical stellarators.
The UW team's prototype reactor uses a gaming graphics card to control plasmas, achieving high-speed and precision control. This method enables the creation of longer-living plasmas that operate closer to conditions required for controlled fusion power.
A research team has successfully measured tritium production rates in a water-cooled ceramic breeder blanket mock-up, validating its design and function under D-T neutron environment. The experimental results are in good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations, meeting the requirements for tritium self-sustaining in future fusion reactors.
Researchers aim to create diamond windows that can withstand high levels of radiation, a crucial step towards building safer fusion reactors. The University of Tartu's three-year project involves partnerships with German and Latvian institutions to develop materials and technologies necessary for the DEMO reactor.
Researchers at Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University confirmed theoretical predictions about energy flow in the ITER reactor through experiments on two tokamaks. They discovered a new type of electric current that affects the scrape-off layer of the edge plasma.
A new database of electron-molecule reactions has been created by Curtin University researchers, allowing for accurate modeling of plasmas containing molecular hydrogen. This development is crucial for the global push to develop fusion technology for electricity production on Earth.
The Lehigh University's Plasma Control Group has been awarded a $1.5 million DOE grant to investigate the spherical tokamak concept and design more efficient fusion reactors. The team will focus on understanding plasma dynamics and developing advanced control systems to regulate plasmas in closed loops.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a machine-learning technique to improve the control of nuclear fusion reactions, which could lead to more efficient and environmentally friendly energy production. By modifying reactor walls using computer-generated data, they aim to reduce damage from plasma interactions and i...
The SPARC project has published seven research papers outlining the physics behind the ambitious reactor design, with calculations suggesting a Q ratio of 10 or more. The device aims to achieve a 'burning plasma,' a self-sustaining fusion reaction, which is crucial for developing practical power-generating plants.
The SPARC reactor concept leverages scientific progress in magnetic confinement fusion and high-temperature superconductor technology to achieve a compact, high-field DT burning tokamak. Seven peer-reviewed articles provide a comprehensive physics basis for the design.
The US Department of Energy awards $21 million to install and operate new scientific instruments on the National Spherical Tokamak Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U) at PPPL. The funding aims to probe key physics problems, validate computer models, and chart a path to next-stage fusion energy research.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory used a tungsten isotope to study the erosion and contamination of plasma in fusion reactors. The experiments aimed to understand how tungsten can be used to armor the reactor without contaminating the plasma, which is essential for achieving sustainable fusion energy.
Researchers at DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have developed a model that accurately reproduces the conditions for ELM suppression in the DIII-D National Fusion Facility. The model predicts wider operational flexibility for tokamaks, enabling enhanced fusion reactor operation and expanding the capabilities of fusion devices.
Vincent Graber, a PhD student in Prof. Eugenio Schuster's group, has been awarded a highly competitive DOE award to conduct research on burn control simulation in fusion reactors. He will work with researchers at PPPL using the TRANSP code to develop more sophisticated models of plasma behavior.
A team of researchers successfully applied topology optimization to a fusion reactor component, reducing its weight by 25%, while maintaining its strength. The superconducting coil requires a strong magnetic field and support structure to function, but this structure is extremely heavy, weighing 20 times that of the Large Helical Device.
A research team at NIFS has developed a hybrid simulation program to improve the accuracy of plasma behavior predictions in a future helical fusion reactor. The program was used to reproduce experimental results from the LHD, finding that trapped ions contribute significantly to stable plasma confinement.
Researchers have discovered a surprising correlation between blobs of turbulence at the edge of fusion plasas and magnetic field fluctuations. This link could help improve the efficiency of fusion reactions, paving the way for clean and virtually limitless energy.
Researchers found that hydrogen ice pellets enhance fusion temperatures and plasma pressure compared to gas injection on DIII-D. The findings are encouraging for ITER's pellet-injection fueling method, which aims to replicate the sun's fusion process.
A new theoretical model predicts how protons will collide with hydrogen atoms in high-energy collisions, validating some previous conclusions while revealing discrepancies. The model has the potential to advance our understanding of plasma behavior and its application in realizing clean energy sources.
Researchers at ORNL demonstrated an additively manufactured polymer layer can protect carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) from aircraft lightning strikes. The polymer layer, applied to CFRP, showed minimal damage upon simulated lightning strike tests, providing a continuous path for heat dissipation.
Eugenio Schuster's research teams work on existing tokamaks to advance ITER efforts, focusing on plasma control and confinement. The European Union, China, and other countries have committed resources to build ITER, the largest fusion reactor in history.
Researchers at PPPL develop new mathematical tools to forecast wave presence in fusion experiments, providing new methods for maintaining plasma confinement. Meanwhile, scientists also find unexpected links between astrophysical processes and small-scale experiments, shedding light on magnetic reconnection.
A team at DIII-D National Fusion Facility used a rugged magnetic sensor and high-performance computing to capture fast ion fluctuations. This data will help improve computer models that interpret the behavior of fast ions, enabling real-time control and efficient heating of plasma in future reactors.
Researchers at DIII-D National Fusion Facility demonstrated a new approach to injecting microwaves into fusion plasma, doubling the efficiency of critical technique. This method uses novel geometry to deliver substantial improvements in plasma current drive, paving the way for more efficient compact fusion power plants.
A University of Washington study proposes a model of plasma motion that explains the 11-year sunspot cycle and other solar phenomena. The model suggests that a thin layer beneath the sun's surface is key to understanding solar magnetic phenomena, including sunspots, magnetic reversals, and solar flow.
Researchers have confirmed that ions can be heated by plasma oscillations driven by high-energy particles using a new hybrid-simulation program. This breakthrough accelerates studies of plasma self-heating for realizing fusion energy.
A team of fusion researchers successfully demonstrated alpha particle confinement in a plasma for the first time in helical systems. This achievement is significant as it promises the alpha particle confinement required for realizing fusion energy in a helical reactor.
A team of Chinese and Canadian scientists developed a theoretical model to predict properties of hydrogen nanobubbles in metal using computer simulations. The model reveals simple rules for hydrogen trapping behavior in nanovoids, providing a powerful tool for evaluating hydrogen-induced damage in fusion reactors.
Researchers have upgraded a device to test lithium's ability to maintain heat and protect walls in a tokamak, which could help bring fusion energy to Earth. The machine uses a coating of lithium to cover the interior wall of the small tokamak, aiming to replicate fusion on Earth for virtually inexhaustible power.
Researchers have successfully developed a new vanadium alloy that is strong at high temperatures and can be used in the manufacturing of the fusion reactor blanket. The alloy, composed of 92% vanadium, has improved ductility due to high purity production methods, making it suitable for welding and machining without breaking.
Scientists have detected the geodesic acoustic mode at two locations within an experimental fusion reactor for the first time. This new experimental setup will be a useful diagnostic tool for investigating zonal flows and their role in the L-H transition, crucial for regulating turbulence and particle transport.
Researchers recorded atomic-level details of gold melting after laser heating, gaining clues for designing materials that can withstand extreme temperatures and radiation. The study's findings have potential applications in fusion power reactors, steel processing plants, and spacecraft.
Researchers at the University of Huddersfield have found that tungsten, a favored metal in nuclear fusion reactors, becomes brittle due to radiation damage. This discovery hinders the use of tungsten as a structural material, prompting the development of new alloys that can prevent embrittlement.
Researchers used a fluid model of plasma turbulence to study heating plasma in a tokamak, revealing impacts of its turbulent behavior, density and temperature gradients. The findings showed that heating electrons caused changes in density gradients within the plasma.
Researchers at University of New South Wales claim laser-driven hydrogen-boron fusion is within reach, producing high energy output without radioactivity. The breakthrough could make it possible to harness fusion energy in the next decade.
Scientists at Texas A&M University have discovered a material that can withstand the harsh conditions of a fusion reactor, making it possible to harness the sun's energy on Earth. The breakthrough, published in Science Advances, involves the formation of long channels resembling veins in living tissues.
Researchers have proposed a new approach to stabilizing next-generation fusion plasmas by understanding the impact of multiple Alfvén waves on high-energy particles. The study reveals that over 10 unstable waves can be excited, leading to up to 40% loss of energetic particles.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a novel method to convert used cooking oil into biofuel using recycled carbon materials. Additionally, they have found a way to insulate the innermost wall of a fusion reactor to maintain the delicate balance between hot plasma and cool exhaust. Furthermore, scientists have di...
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have successfully identified and decelerated runaway electrons in a fusion reactor. This breakthrough could lead to better methods for controlling these high-energy electrons and paving the way for a functional fusion reactor.
Researchers from Pohang University of Science and Technology have discovered solitary perturbations (SP) structures that correlate with pedestal collapse in magnetized toroidal plasma. This finding provides new insights into the mechanisms behind reliable nuclear fusion.
A new advanced theoretical tool has been developed to design and analyze complex beam lines with strong coupling. This breakthrough enables the creation of high-intensity beams that can be used in fusion reactors and nuclear waste management, as well as study the origin of the universe.
Researchers have developed a novel liquid metal shower divertor system that can withstand extremely high heat loads and efficiently evacuate plasma as neutral gases. The new design features a fine jet stream of liquid metal, which forms a strong wall to block plasma and facilitate effective evacuation.
Researchers developed a hybrid simulation program to investigate plasma oscillation and high-energy particle interaction. The program accurately reproduces experimental data, significantly improving the prediction accuracy of high-energy alpha particle distribution in fusion reactor core plasma.
A three-year, $3.3 million collaboration will study methods of predicting and avoiding disruptions on KSTAR, a long-pulse tokamak. The research aims to develop techniques for characterizing, forecasting, and avoiding events that can halt fusion reactions and damage tokamaks.
Physicists have made breakthrough in understanding plasma turbulence that drives fusion energy, using high-resolution multi-scale simulations. The study resolves multiple turbulence instabilities and explains heat loss mismatch between theoretical predictions and experimental observations.
Researchers at MIT have found a key to solving the great unsolved problem of heat loss in fusion reactors. Interactions between turbulence at the tiniest scale, that of electrons, and turbulence at a much larger scale, that of ions, can account for the discrepancy between theory and experimental results.
Researchers have discovered a new super H-mode regime in tokamak plasmas, which could sharply boost fusion power production. The new state allows for higher pressure at the edge of the plasma, creating potential for increased power output from the superhot core.
Researchers have developed high-temperature superconducting materials that can operate at high magnetic fields, opening a new path to fusion energy. These materials could enable the creation of compact, power-producing reactors capable of producing 500 MW of fusion power.