5 ms·

What is interesting is that one can use current in the plasma itself (which creates a magnetic field) to confine the plasma, if one can control the current well

What is interesting is that one can use current in the plasma itself (which creates a magnetic field) to confine the plasma, if one can control the current well enough. This design [1] does that. Unfortunately DOE funding for new fusion concepts has been almost zero for many decades and ITER has further depleted the DOE research fusion. On the bright side there has been some recent VC funding in the space and CTFusion is working on this design concept[2]. [1] https://spectrum.ieee.org/energy/nuclear/inside-the-dynomak-a-fusion-technology-cheaper-than-coal https://spectrum.ieee.org/energy/nuclear/inside-the-dynomak-... [2]https://ctfusion.net/technology/ https://ctfusion.net/technology/

sitkack 6y ago
ITER isn't the problem, our priorities are.
sbierwagen 6y ago
Yes, confinement by running a current through the plasma is well known. First use was by the ZETA experiment in 1957. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z-pinch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z-pinch The eternal problem in science journalism: a scientist will explain how their machine works, and the journalist will get the impression that they have independently invented each part of the apparatus, with no prior art. The incentives encourage it: the scientist wants to take credit for everything possible, and the journalist wants to report on a maximally new and exciting machine.
- njarboe 6y ago
  I agree, a journalists description of such new fusion concept is unlikely to be useful to people trying to understand what is new about the concept. I am not a fusion scientist, but my dad is the "Tom Jarboe" in the article. From my limited understanding from talking to him, the main reason that they think the dynomak design has a chance of working is because they solved the problem of adding energy to a stable plasma without disrupting it by using a new type of helicity injector. Not sure if it would really work, but hopefully they can get enough funds to try.

sitkack 6y ago

ITER isn't the problem, our priorities are.

sbierwagen 6y ago

Yes, confinement by running a current through the plasma is well known. First use was by the ZETA experiment in 1957. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z-pinch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z-pinch The eternal problem in science journalism: a scientist will explain how their machine works, and the journalist will get the impression that they have independently invented each part of the apparatus, with no prior art. The incentives encourage it: the scientist wants to take credit for everything possible, and the journalist wants to report on a maximally new and exciting machine.

njarboe 6y ago
I agree, a journalists description of such new fusion concept is unlikely to be useful to people trying to understand what is new about the concept. I am not a fusion scientist, but my dad is the "Tom Jarboe" in the article. From my limited understanding from talking to him, the main reason that they think the dynomak design has a chance of working is because they solved the problem of adding energy to a stable plasma without disrupting it by using a new type of helicity injector. Not sure if it would really work, but hopefully they can get enough funds to try.