If the 16-meter-wide device, called a stellarator, can match or outperform similar-size tokamaks, it could cause fusion scientists to rethink the future of their field.
Is the search for fusion energy, long dominated by doughnut-shaped devices called tokamaks, about to undergo a shape shift? Just as ITER, the world’s largest tokamak—and at tens of billions of dollars the most expensive—nears completion in the hills of southern France, a much smaller testbed with a twistier geometry will start throttling up to full power in Germany.
To make their plasma-confining magnetic fields, tokamaks and stellarators employ electromagnetic coils looping around the vessel and through the central hole. But such a field is stronger nearer the hole than the outer edge, causing plasma to drift to the reactor’s wall. Despite the wait, researchers haven’t been disappointed. “The machine worked immediately,” says W7-X director Thomas Klinger. “It’s a very easy-going machine. [It] just did what we told it to do.” This contrasts with tokamaks, which are prone to “instabilities”—the plasma bulging or wobbling in unpredictable ways—or more violent “disruptions,” often linked to interrupted plasma flow.
W7-X’s achievements have prompted venture capitalists to back several startups developing commercial power-producing stellarators. First priority for the startups: Find a simpler way to make the magnets.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
German court rules sacking of Palestinian DW journalist unlawfulBerlin court rules that dismissal of Palestinian-Jordanian journalist Farah Maraqa by Germany's state broadcaster Deutsche Welle over alleged anti-Jewish remarks was not legally justified
Read more »
Decision to keep atomic plants on standby reveals cracks in German govtThe government's move partly delays the country's nuclear exit decided under former chancellor Angela Merkel after the Fukushima disaster in 2011.
Read more »
German president apologizes for failures during 1972 Munich Olympics terror attackGermany’s president apologized Monday for multiple failures by his country before, during and after the 1972 attack on the Munich OIympics as he joined his Israeli counterpart and relatives of the 11 Israeli athletes killed by Palestinian militants at the games 50 years ago.
Read more »
German Gas Giant Uniper Says the Worst Is Still to Come After Russia Halts Flows to EuropeUniper, as Germany’s biggest importer of gas, has been hit hard by vastly reduced gas flows via pipelines from Russia, which have sent prices soaring.
Read more »
Las Vegas Police Release Images Of Possible Suspect In Reporter's SlayingPolice are asking for the public’s help in solving the murder of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German.
Read more »
50 years after Munich Olympics attack, victims’ families are compensatedAfter a terrorist attack at the 1972 Olympics killed 11 Israeli athletes and coaches, their families accused the German government of a botched response and obfuscation.
Read more »