Nuclear fusion powers the stars and offers the promise of unlimited, clean energy on Earth.
But controlled thermonuclear fusion in the lab usually requires large and expensive magnetic field coils to stably confine burning plasma, ionized nuclei that collide to initiate nuclear fusion. A&A’s Fusion Z-Pinch Experiments (FuZE) Lab has demonstrated a smaller, cheaper method: We have measured sustained nuclear fusion for the first time from a 50-cm long plasma column called a Z-pinch. This method compresses a flowing plasma using electromagnetic forces, which drive the plasma to higher temperatures and densities.
While the Z-pinch is not a new plasma confinement concept, it was largely abandoned as a path for fusion energy because the plasma was not stable, which limited how long it could be confined. To get around this issue, we exploited the fact that flows can stabilize plasma, and our flowing plasma was maintained five thousand times longer than a static plasma. We also observed the sustained release of telltale energetic neutrons signaling nuclear fusion. Because this approach provides a path to nuclear fusion without coils, it could be used in the future for long-duration fusion burns in a compact and low-cost device.
Learn more: Plasma flows may provide the missing ingredient to a cheaper, more compact route to nuclear fusion
The Latest on: Nuclear fusion
[google_news title=”” keyword=”nuclear fusion” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Nuclear fusion
- Turning the Promise of Fusion into Realityon May 9, 2024 at 10:48 am
Science X is a network of high quality websites with most complete and comprehensive daily coverage of the full sweep of science, technology, and medicine news ...
- Microsoft, OpenAI Reportedly Plans $100-Billion Supercomputer Fueled by Nuclear Poweron May 9, 2024 at 10:11 am
Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is reportedly gearing up to construct a colossal $100 billion data center, aptly named 'Stargate.' Analysts speculate ...
- Magnetic islands stabilize fusion plasma, simulations suggeston May 9, 2024 at 8:27 am
Tokamak fusion reactors use intense magnetic fields to confine and heat hydrogen plasma within their doughnut-shaped interiors. At suitably high temperatures, the hydrogen nuclei will gain enough ...
- A Tungsten Miracle Happened in the Heart of a Fusion Reactoron May 9, 2024 at 7:07 am
A tokamak reactor in France called WEST recently upgraded from a carbon interior to one made of tungsten and successfully contained plasma at 50 million degrees Celsius for six minutes at higher ...
- Taxpayers to fund fast-tracked nuclear fusion reactorson May 8, 2024 at 11:29 am
Pioneering nuclear fusion power plants are to be fast tracked through the planning process and supported with taxpayer money as Britain attempts to become a world leader in the te ...
- Breakthrough in Nuclear Fusion: Startup Achieves Sun-Core Temperatureson May 8, 2024 at 8:07 am
A nuclear fusion startup has made significant strides by generating temperatures hotter than the Sun’s core, paving a new pathway toward limitless clean energy. The company, Zap Energy, has achieved ...
- World’s Biggest Nuclear-Fusion Project Plans to Reset Without UKon May 8, 2024 at 7:38 am
The world’s biggest fusion-energy experiment is planning a reboot without one of its most important members, after the UK announced funding for a rival project trying to replicate the sun’s energy on ...
- New Breakthrough in Nuclear Fusion - Is the End Near for Coal and Gas?on May 7, 2024 at 10:07 am
Nuclear fusion is regarded as the energy source of the future and could revolutionize energy production. Research teams continually develop these projects further and now they've made another breakthr ...
- Tungsten-lined tokamak sets fusion record, sustains plasma for 6 minson May 7, 2024 at 1:09 am
The fusion reaction plasma carried 15 percent more energy and had twice the density than before, the researchers said.
- An 'artificial sun' achieved a record-breaking fusion experiment, bringing us closer to clean, limitless energyon May 6, 2024 at 4:26 pm
WEST, a fusion reactor in France, broke a record for tungsten tokamaks with a 6-minute plasma. It's an important step toward clean, limitless energy.
via Bing News
