The Helical Fusion twisted nuclear fusion reactor can operate stably for extended periods with an initial power output of around 50 – 100 MW.
Helical Fusion, a startup based in Tokyo, Japan, aims to revolutionize electricity production with a cleaner method that can provide limitless energy. Helical Fusion plans to launch the world’s first steady-state nuclear fusion reactor. They intend to develop a prototype reactor based on the helical method, a technique for magnetic confinement. The reactor, named HESTIA, will have an initial capacity of 50 – 100 MW, as reported by Interesting Engineering on August 31.
Helical Fusion will commence reactor operations in 2034 and commercialize production by the 2040s. (Image: Reuters).
Helical Fusion’s reactor could be a type of stellarator known as a heliotron, which consists of two continuously twisted cores that can operate without a plasma current. The company also aims to commercialize production after successfully developing the reactor. “We will create the first steady-state nuclear fusion reactor and generate electricity within the next 10 years,” said Takaya Taguchi, CEO of Helical Fusion.
The small-scale nuclear fusion reactor has potential applications as a local power source for facilities such as steel or titanium smelting plants, remote islands, or large ships. The estimated cost to construct the power plant is around $5 billion. After more than a year of continuous operation, maintenance can be completed within three months to achieve an availability rate above 80%. The nuclear fusion reaction involving hydrogen isotopes such as deuterium and tritium uses 1 gram of fuel to produce the same energy as burning 8 tons of petroleum, according to Helical Fusion.
Founded in 2021, Helical Fusion aims to install a commercial twisted nuclear fusion reactor to supply power to communities. The HESTIA reactor, which utilizes deuterium and tritium, where tritium is self-produced via a liquid metal coating system, will play a crucial role in the company’s prototype plant. Engineers will use high-power electromagnetic waves at specific frequencies to heat the plasma; since there is no need for plasma current, HESTIA can operate in a steady state for about a year.
In the twisted nuclear fusion reactor, the magnetic field needed to confine the plasma is generated solely with electromagnetic coils. This method allows for stable plasma confinement over extended periods with consistent output, making it very suitable for electricity production.
However, Taguchi mentioned some challenges in implementing the plan, including difficulties in securing 1 trillion yen in funding to develop the prototype reactor, high-temperature superconducting technology for the coils, and establishing safety regulations to obtain local construction permits.
