Physicists claim to have resolved a common issue in fusion reactors – a solution considered a clean, cheap, safe, and nearly limitless energy source for the future.
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Glowing plasma inside a test fusion reactor. Photo Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. |
American researchers report that they have discovered a method to halt the corrosion of the metal walls within the reactor – a crucial step in enhancing the reactor’s efficiency.
In fusion reactions, atomic nuclei combine to form heavier particles, releasing energy, which is the opposite of fission (the technique used in current nuclear power plants and atomic bombs), where nuclei are split into smaller units.
In a fusion reactor, particles collide to create a charged gas plasma, compressed inside a doughnut-shaped chamber known as a tokamak, using powerful magnetic coils.
Last year, a consortium of countries signed a treaty to build the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in southern France, aimed at creating a testing ground before proposing a commercially viable design. However, many experts have expressed skepticism about the challenges facing ITER.
One major issue is the occurrence of Edge-Localized Modes (ELMs) – sudden bursts or vortices at the outer edge of the plasma mass that cause corrosion of the reactor’s inner walls. This innermost layer is an expensive metal casing that can absorb neutrons released by the plasma. If it suffers corrosion, it will need to be replaced more frequently.
The ejected particles also significantly impact the plasma mass’s operation, reducing the energy it can release.
A research team led by Todd Evans from General Atomics in California believes that the ELMs problem can be intelligently controlled.
They discovered that by placing special coils inside the reaction chamber, the small resonant magnetic field generated by the coils creates “chaotic” disturbances at the plasma mass’s edge, preventing the formation of vortices.
ITER is a collaborative project involving the EU, the United States, Japan, Russia, China, India, and South Korea. If ITER is successful, a commercial reactor prototype will be constructed, and if it operates as intended, fusion technology could spread globally, similar to current fission technology.
T. An
