Korea's 'artificial Sun' reactor has made headlines this week by officially sustaining plasma at a temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius for more than 20 seconds.
By Yucatan Times on January 6, 2021
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Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) device recently set a world record by maintaining its plasma with an ion temperature at over 100 million degrees Celsius (180 million degrees Fahrenheit) for 20 seconds.
According to a report by
Engadget, no previous fusion machine lasted for more than 10 seconds in those conditions. Back in 2019, KSTAR had managed to hold out for just eight seconds. The report adds that it is an important step towards improving the Internal Transport Barrier (ITB) that helps with plasma confinement and stability.
The
main goal for KSTAR is to run for five minutes at a stretch at extreme temperature by 2025 and the breakthrough is an important step in that direction. It could prove to be vital if fusion reactors became a reality.
KSTAR fusion device maintains 100 million degrees for record 20 seconds
KSTAR fusion device maintains .
KSTAR, the so-called Korean artificial sun, has set a record for maintaining plasma at temperatures over 100 million °C 1/1
KSTAR, the so-called Korean artificial sun, has set a record for maintaining plasma at temperatures over 100 million °C
While harnessing the power of the Sun has progressed in leaps and bounds in recent years, harnessing the process that powers the Sun is proving a tough nut to crack. However, progress continues to be made on the various approaches to practical nuclear fusion being pursued, of which tokamak reactors remain a frontrunner. In another promising development for the technology, the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) fusion device has set a world record by maintaining plasma at over 100 million °C (180 million °F) for 20 seconds.
29 DECEMBER 2020
Scientists have just set a new world record for high-temperature sustained plasma with the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) device, reaching an ion temperature of above 100 million degrees Celsius (180 million degrees Fahrenheit) for a period of 20 seconds.
Known as Korea s artificial sun , the KSTAR uses magnetic fields to generate and stabilise ultra-hot plasma, with the ultimate aim of making nuclear fusion power a reality – a potentially unlimited source of clean energy that could transform the way we power our lives, if we can get it to work as intended.
Before this point, 100 million degrees hadn t been breached for more than 10 seconds, so it s a substantial improvement on previous efforts – even if there s still a long way to go before we can completely ditch other sources of energy. At this point, nuclear fusion power remains a possibility, not a certainty.