2 ms·
But they also need to be larger for a given power output, so frontrunners are trying tokamaks first because if they can get those to work at reactor relevant le
by willis936 4y ago
But they also need to be larger for a given power output, so frontrunners are trying tokamaks first because if they can get those to work at reactor relevant levels then they will have a cheaper / more competitive product. If tokamaks don't work out and the price of electricity is sufficiently high, then stellarators will likely make the most sense.
- moogly 4y agoThey're not even sure tokamaks can be run steady-state and not pulsed. That's hand-waved as an "engineering problem" like everything else tokamak-related. Stellarators at least look like they could, since you don't need to induce a current to generate the magnetic field via induction.
- willis936 4y agoPulsed reactors is not a showstopper. If you pulse heat into a coolant blanket there is plenty of thermal energy buffer. Hitting 90+% duty cycle is an engineering challenge with no physics hurdles.