3 ms·
Tokamak-style reactors like ITER rely on a rapidly-changing magnetic field to induce an electric current in the plasma, for stability of the plasma. The magnet
by lambdatronics 6y ago
Tokamak-style reactors like ITER rely on a rapidly-changing magnetic field to induce an electric current in the plasma, for stability of the plasma. The magnet that provides this rapidly-changing field (the 'central solenoid') can't keep increasing in field strength indefinitely -- so there's a time limit to the life of the plasma. There are other ways to supplement the current in the plasma, which can help extend the life of the plasma indefinitely.
- The_rationalist 6y agoBut this is beyond ridiculous, so many years of R&D for 8 minutes of sustained acticivty activity? That sound like a joke
- throwanem 6y agoHow long was the first powered flight?
- SEMW 6y ago> But this is beyond ridiculous, so many years of R&D for 8 minutes of sustained acticivty activity? That sound like a joke ...You know the duration of the plasma pulse being 8 minutes doesn't mean they do it once and then the whole project is over and they need to start dismantling it, right? After a pulse, the plasma is discharged, you have a few minutes of rampdown and cooling, and then you can do it again. IIRC in the first experimental phase they expect to do ~30,000 pulses.
- willis936 6y agoThat’s like saying “spending $30,000 for a license plate holder sounds like a joke”. This machine is being built for the information needed to make real reactors. Empirically derived scaling laws, confinement physics, and divertor physics all greatly benefit from having their regimes pushed past where they have been. It’s a science machine.