South Korea’s artificial sun set a new world record after it managed to maintain the high temperature plasma for 20 seconds with an ionic temperature of more than 100 million degrees (Celsius).
On November 27, the KSTAR Research Center at the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE) announced the joint research project with Seoul National University (SNU) and Columbia University of the United States.
It manages to operate for 20 seconds continuously with an ion temperature higher than 100 million degrees. Sounds hateful.
The milestone was seen as an important step in the search for electricity generation via nuclear fusion.
Director Si-Woo Yoon of the KSTAR Research Center at the KFE told phys.org: “The technologies required for long-term operations of 100 million plasma are the key to achieving fusion energy, and the success of the KSTAR to maintain the high temperature plasma for 20 seconds will be a major turning point in the race to secure the technologies for the long-term high-performance plasma industry, which will be a critical component of a commercial nuclear fusion reactor in the future. ‘
Yong-Su Na, professor at the Department of Nuclear Engineering who co-conducted the research, added: ‘The success of the KSTAR experiment in the long, high temperature operation by overcoming the disadvantages of ITB modes brings us a step closer to the development of technologies for the realization of nuclear fusion energy. “
Dr Young-Seok Park of Columbia University, who contributed to the creation of high-temperature plasma, said: ‘We are honored to be involved in such an important achievement in KSTAR.
“The 100 million degree ion temperature achieved by enabling efficient nuclear plasma heating for such a long time has demonstrated the unique capability of the superconducting KSTAR device, and will be recognized as a compelling basis for high performance, steady state fusion plasmas. . “
The new KFE goal is to maintain the operation for 300 seconds by 2025. It is explained: ‘The duration of 300 seconds means that you can control the instability of power generation on nuclear fusion.
“We continue our challenge to realize nuclear fusion energy, which is a goal of the entire human race.”
KFE President Suk Jae Yoo said: “I am so pleased to announce the new launch of the KFE as an independent research organization of Korea. The KFE will continue its tradition of undertaking challenging investigations into the purpose of humanity. to achieve: the realization of nuclear fusion energy. ‘