Nuclear fusion: record for the French West reactor with 6 minutes of ignited plasma, thanks to its tungsten coating

Advances continue in the field of nuclear fusion, gradually bringing humanity closer to an infinite source of clean energy. By replicating chemical reactions taking place in the Sun’s core, fusion reactors are theoretically able to create more energy than is needed to initiate the reaction.

Since the start of the year, progress has continued. In order to produce energy, the key criteria are the heating temperature of the atoms and the density of the plasma that they form under the effect of heating. However, these two points have had favorable experiences.

West Reactor feat: maintaining plasma at 50 million degrees for six minutes

Now, it is the turn of the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) to participate in the development of technology, indicates Phys.org. The research institute operates the West fusion reactor (formerly named Tore Supra) in the south of France. Located in Cadarache, very close to the ITER project, the reactor has the particularity of having an internal layer covered with tungsten.

For six minutes, the West reactor maintained a plasma containing hydrogen atoms (the isotopes deuterium and tritium) to form helium atoms in order to recover the energy from this reaction. This is a record duration for heating to 50 million degrees for infrastructure.

Above all, the tokamak-type reactor better managed the 1.15 gigajoules of injected energy. The structure thus generated 15% additional energy thanks to a plasma twice as dense as during previous tests. Good news since it is the combination of a high temperature and a high density which guarantees the creation of a reliable and sustainable source of energy.

“These are magnificent resultsassures Xavier Litaudon, scientist at the CEA. We achieved steady state despite a difficult environment due to this tungsten wall.”

Tungsten, the coating that could make nuclear fusion a reality

The tungsten coating of the West fusion reactor can be extremely restrictive. If this coating has the advantage of letting the plasma slide, it also has the risk of ruining the creation of energy. Because it would be enough for a tiny fragment of tungsten to be found in the plasma to cool it significantly. Causing an alteration of the reaction.

And while a carbon coating is much easier to tame within a tokamak reactor, this material can retain fuel. This represents too great a risk of seeing long-term tests become unsuccessful, particularly for large models.

However, the West reactor serves as an experimental base for the Iter pilot project, intended to become the largest tokamak in the world. This installation is due to come into service in 2030 and will aim to demonstrate the feasibility of relying on nuclear fusion as a source of clean, constant and sustainable energy.

Article originally published on May 7.