The tungsten environment inside the French tokamak device "WEST." The new fusion reaction record was set here. Image source: Physics Organization website.
BEIJING, May 8 (Reporter Zhang Jiaxin) - According to the Physics Organization website's report on the 7th, France's superconducting tokamak device "WEST" set a new fusion reaction record: the device injected 1.15 gigajoules of energy, maintaining a record-breaking 50 million degrees Celsius hot fusion plasma for 6 minutes.
WEST is a large device used by nuclear fusion researchers to confine extremely hot plasma within a toroidal vessel with a strong magnetic field. The new record was achieved using the tungsten environment in the WEST device. Tungsten can withstand high temperatures and does not absorb tritium, which is a key fuel for fusion reactions. Researchers improved the measurement of plasma radiation characteristics using the unique X-ray detectors inside the WEST device. In this experiment, the energy increased by 15% compared to previous experiments, and the density doubled.
Researchers measured the electron temperature of the core plasma during the 6-minute process. Throughout the experiment, the voltage was maintained at 4kV, while the electron temperature reached nearly 50 million degrees Celsius.
WEST shares many similarities with the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). ITER is located near WEST in southern France. Once completed, ITER will be the world's largest tokamak device capable of sustaining burning plasma.
Meanwhile, other facilities are also conducting experiments, with WEST helping researchers address the complex issues of sustaining burning plasma (the core of commercial fusion energy). Current research involving tungsten still faces challenges, and experiments at WEST will contribute to a better understanding of the optimal conditions for fusion reactors.
