- South Korean scientists at the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE) reached a critical milestone by reaching temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius for 48 seconds in the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) fusion reactor.
- KSTAR remained in high confinement mode (H-mode) for more than 100 seconds, proving plasma stability required for sustained fusion reactions.
- This is a worldwide record.
What is Tokamak Technology?
- Scientists use a tokamak, a donut-shaped reactor, to heat hydrogen variants to extremely high temperatures, resulting in plasma.
- This reactor mimics the Sun’s fusion reaction, producing enormous heat energy.
What is Nuclear Fusion?
- Nuclear fusion is the fusion of hydrogen and other light elements to produce huge energy, similar to the process that drives the Sun and stars.
- It is a process in which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a significant amount of energy.
- This happens at extremely high temperatures, generally in the tens of millions of degrees Celsius, with pressures comparable to those encountered in the cores of stars.
- In a tokamak reactor, hydrogen variations are heated to extreme temperatures to form a plasma that mimics the conditions seen in the Sun’s core.
- A kilogramme of fusion fuel has approximately ten million times more energy than a kilogramme of coal, oil, or gas.
The significance of KSTAR’s achievements
- Achieving continuous fusion reactions in a laboratory setting opens up the possibility of endless, zero-carbon electricity generation.
- By extending the duration of high-temperature fusion, scientists want to achieve plasma temperatures of 100 million degrees for 300 seconds by 2026, pushing the limits of fusion research.
- KSTAR’s fusion research advances international efforts by financing initiatives such as France’s International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).
Benefits offered by Nuclear Fusion Energy
- Clean Energy: Fusion reactions produce significantly less radioactive waste than nuclear fission, which generates long-lived radioactive waste. Fusion also produces no greenhouse gases, making it an eco-friendly energy source.
- Fusion reactions are fundamentally safer than nuclear fission reactions. Fusion reactors are less likely to cause accidents and do not develop runaway chain reactions, like fission reactors do.
- Energy Security: Fusion generates a consistent and stable supply of energy, eliminating reliance on fossil fuels and fluctuating energy markets. It provides a sustainable option for meeting global energy needs.
- High Energy Density: In comparison to other energy sources, fusion reactions produce a tremendous quantity of energy. Fusion power’s high energy density makes it compact and efficient, allowing it to fulfil large-scale energy demands.
- Scalability: Fusion reactors can be constructed to scale up or down to meet changing energy requirements. They can act as base-load power plants or supplement renewable energy sources, giving flexibility in the energy mix.
- Minimal Environmental Impact: Fusion power plants have a compact footprint and do not require massive mining activities or fuel transportation, hence lowering their environmental impact. They also emit no air pollution or carbon dioxide during operation.
Source: https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/us/artificial-sun-reaches-a-temperature-of-100-million-celsius-for-record-period-know-in-detail/articleshow/108949251.cms