French scientists achieved a milestone in fusion energy research by maintaining a plasma reaction for over 22 minutes in the WEST tokamak reactor, surpassing the previous world record. According to Le Monde, the plasma was sustained for 1,337 seconds, which is 25% longer than the previous record of 1,066 seconds held by China's EAST tokamak.
"This advance demonstrates that knowledge of plasma and its technological control during long periods are already mature," stated the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique (CEA). This achievement marked only the second time the 1,000-second barrier was surpassed, with the previous record established in January by China, according to Exclsior.
Nuclear fusion is often described as the "holy grail" of clean energy. It reproduces the reactions that occur in the hearts of stars to release large amounts of energy. Unlike nuclear fission, which powers today's reactors by splitting atoms, fusion generates energy by fusing hydrogen isotopes, producing helium and enormous amounts of heat, according to dailygalaxy.com. Fusion offers virtually limitless energy, as its fuel, derived from hydrogen, is abundant and widely available. Hydrogen atoms are used for nuclear fusion because of their lightness.
The tokamak, a toroidal machine, plays a crucial role in confining ultra-high temperature plasma using powerful magnetic fields, as no material can withstand the extreme temperatures and pressures of the plasma. Maintaining a stable plasma at temperatures approaching 150 million degrees Celsius—ten times the temperature of the sun—is one of the main challenges in achieving practical fusion energy, according to La Croix.
The advances made at WEST can contribute to the ITER project, which aims to demonstrate by 2050 that nuclear fusion can produce more energy than it consumes. However, scientists still need to eliminate many "technological obstacles" for this to happen, SciencePost consumes, according to La Croix.
"It's very good news, a small step further towards nuclear fusion. It also shows that in France we have this know-how," said Yannick Marandet, director of the Laboratory of Physics of Ionic and Molecular Interactions in Marseille, as reported by Le Monde. "The feat is also having managed to keep all the very fragile and sensitive measurement systems operational for a long duration, to react in real time when something unexpected happens," added Maxime Lesur, a plasma physics researcher at the Institut Jean Lamour in Nancy.
The competition in nuclear fusion technology among countries is intensifying. Projects like ITER and WEST are working together to develop the technologies needed for commercial fusion reactors. France's WEST tokamak is in competition with its rival EAST, known as the artificial sun of China. EAST previously held the record for plasma duration, and WEST's latest breakthrough has now surpassed it.
Despite advances in nuclear fusion, large-scale implementation still faces technical, economic, and infrastructural obstacles. Many "technological locks" need to be overcome before fusion can "produce more energy than it consumes," according to La Croix. The infrastructure needs, the complexity of the technologies to be developed, and the high costs of construction and maintenance of reactors mean that fusion is unlikely to be an immediate solution to the global energy crisis.
Different tokamaks adopt varying strategies in pursuit of sustainable fusion power. Some, like the Japanese JT-60SA and the European JET, focus on producing plasmas at very high temperatures for short durations. JT-60SA is also testing new reactor designs that could eventually be used in commercial fusion power plants. In contrast, WEST seeks to stabilize plasmas for the longest time possible at lower temperatures. By proving that long-duration plasma reactions are achievable, WEST is helping to refine the engineering and materials required for full-scale fusion power plants in the future.
ITER, the international experimental reactor designed to demonstrate the feasibility of large-scale fusion, is located near the WEST reactor at Cadarache. ITER was launched by the European Union, China, South Korea, the United States, India, Japan, and Russia. However, the commissioning schedule of ITER was postponed several times. La Croix notes that the production of the first plasma of ITER, initially scheduled for this year according to forecasts established in 2016, was postponed to at least 2033.
The cost of the ITER project soared, with between 20 and 40 billion euros already committed. The range of the cost estimate is wide because the exact amount is difficult to quantify due to the multiple contributions of the parties involved in the project, which are hard to account for, as reported by La Croix. Despite the optimism, the ITER project faced continuous delays. "It's a unique project because these are countries that, in geopolitical terms, face tensions, but here they work together and leave the passports at the reception," explained Pietro Barabaschi, the director general of ITER.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.