One of the most promising areas in nuclear power is a type of rector called a tokamak. It uses very powerful magnetic fields to capture heated plasma inside a special toroidal chamber (shaped like a hollow donut). One of the difficulties is that the plasma inside the chamber heats up to colossal values - millions of degrees Celsius. Such temperatures can usually be found, for example, at the sun's corona. Physicists from the UK say they have found a safe way to cool the plasma heated to a million degrees. This is reported by the information publication Reuters.
The new system, developed by scientists from the UK Atomic Energy Authority, takes a proven approach: the plasma inside the tokamak travels along a longer path, resulting in significant cooling. After that, she comes into contact with the so-called "sacrificial wall". Scientists have not yet disclosed the composition of the material from which this block is made. At the moment, it is only known that, under the influence of plasma, it collapses over time, so it will need to be replaced every few years.
The researchers hope that the first tests of the new exhaust system will be carried out at the experimental French ITER reactor, which is currently under construction. The international team working to build the reactor, which is slated to launch in 2025, hopes the facility will be the first ever clean power reactor. Its launch will be a significant step towards the practical production and use of thermonuclear energy.
Ian Chapman, executive director of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, told Reuters that hot fusion energy has enormous potential. At the same time, the commissioning of such reactors is predicted within just a few years, and not decades, as many might think.
Nikolay Khizhnyak