New superconductors for the TRT tokamak offer double the magnetic strength of ITER’s wires in half the physical size.
Engineers at the DV Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus , a branch of Rosatom, have reached a milestone in nuclear fusion research by testing a high-temperature superconductor wire. This development is a component for the Tokamak with Reactor Technologies , a reactor designed for the transition toward fusion energy.
The research team recently completed trials on a five-meter piece of wire that represents a leap in engineering. This wire is composed of 240 HTSC tapes embedded within a copper stabilizing matrix and encased in stainless steel. According to Andrey Mednikov, head of the superconducting systems research department, the wire is designed to handle a current of 65 kiloamperes within a magnetic field of 18 Tesla. These parameters represent a point in superconductivity, as such performance levels have never been reached in previous installations.Wire operates at cryogenic levelsThe wire operates at cryogenic levels, featuring a channel designed to pump refrigerant at temperatures between 5 and 20 Kelvin, which translates to -450.67 to -423.67 degrees Fahrenheit, as reported by Nuclear Engineering International. During the tests, the sample was cooled to -320.8 degrees Fahrenheit using liquid nitrogen, where it entered a superconducting state. These trials confirmed that the wire could maintain its characteristics under load, allowing scientists to monitor parameters through a measuring stand.“NIIEFA is the first in Russia to manufacture and successfully test a full-size superconducting wire for the electromagnetic system of a tokamak using TRT reactor technology ,” said the agency on its Telegram channel.Redefining industry standardsThe technology being developed for the TRT reactor marks a departure from the materials used in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor . While ITER relies on niobium-titanium and niobium-tin wires that operate at 4.5 Kelvin , the TRT project utilizes yttrium-barium copper oxide tapes. This shift in material allows the TRT components to be efficient and compact.“This milestone marks a key step toward completing the development and moving on to the active phase of construction of the facility,” added the agency.The wires developed for TRT measure 26×26 mm, which is smaller than the 54×54 mm wires used in ITER. Despite their size, the TRT wires are capable of operating in magnetic fields up to 20 Tesla and handling currents as high as 80 kiloamperes, compared to ITER’s 8 to 13 Tesla and 48 to 68 kiloamperes.Reaching for fusion future by 2030By conducting studies at the temperature of -196 degrees Celsius , NIIEFA researchers can reduce testing costs and the development cycle. This approach allows for samples to be verified in a timeframe, bringing the TRT tokamak closer to operational reality.The project’s roadmap is moving. In 2026, the institute plans to manufacture and test two wires, each exceeding 60 meters in length. These efforts will culminate in 2027 with the creation of a mock-up of the central solenoid coil. This coil will be one meter in diameter and consist of 40 turns of wire laid in two layers, serving as a blueprint for the kilometers of wire required for the reactor.A new life for Troitsk siteThe TRT will be constructed at the Troitsk Institute of Innovative & Thermonuclear Research , utilizing the site of the former TSP strong-field tokamak. This location is being prepared with the infrastructure to support the reactor. Once complete, the TRT will become a laboratory for studying plasma behavior and the tritium technologies needed for hybrid fusion-fission systems.
Environment High-Temperature Materials Nuclear Fusion Superconducitivity
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