Hercuflea said:What's interesting about this is it shows how fast fusion experiments can be built when not bogged down by the politics of a global regulatory committee like ITER.
The DIII-D tokamak evolved from the earlier Doublet III device in 1986. Since then, the facility has undergone a number of changes including the installation of divertor baffles and pumping chambers in the vacuum vessel, the addition of a radiation shield, the development of extensive neutral beam and RF heating systems, and the addition of a comprehensive plasma control system. The facility has become the focus of a broad fusion plasma science research programme. An integrated picture of the facility and its capabilities is presented.
February 03, 2016
The Wendelstein 7-X fusion device at Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Greifswald produced its first hydrogen plasma on 3 February 2016. This marks the start of scientific operation. Wendelstein 7-X, the world’s largest fusion device of the stellarator type, is to investigate this configuration’s suitability for use in a power plant.
Since the start of operation on 10 December 2015 Wendelstein 7-X has produced more than 300 discharges with the rare gas, helium. These served primarily to clean the plasma vessel. The cleaner the vessel wall, the more the plasma temperature increased, finally attaining six million degrees. In addition, plasma heating and data recording were tested, and the first measuring facilities for investigating the plasma were put into operation, viz. complex instrumentation such as X-ray spectrometers, interferometers, laser scattering and video diagnostics. “This makes everything ready for the next step”, states Project Head Professor Dr. Thomas Klinger. “We are changing from helium to hydrogen plasmas, our proper subject of investigation.”
The first hydrogen plasma, which was switched on at a ceremony on 3 February 2016 attended by numerous guests from the realms of science and politics, marks the start of scientific operation of Wendelstein 7-X.
Perhaps a more correct description is "plasma physics" or "plasma stability" experiment.mfb said:"Fusion" experiment.
They don't plan to have relevant fusion power in that device. It is a plasma experiment, although the plasma is mainly studied for future fusion reactors.
The Wendelstein 7-X Stellarator is a type of experimental nuclear fusion reactor that aims to create a sustainable and clean source of energy by mimicking the processes that occur in the sun.
The Wendelstein 7-X Stellarator uses magnetic fields to contain and control hot plasma, which is a gas-like state of matter made up of charged particles. These magnetic fields twist and turn the plasma, creating a stable and continuous plasma ring that can reach temperatures of over 100 million degrees Celsius.
The goal of the Wendelstein 7-X project is to demonstrate the feasibility and potential of using nuclear fusion as a sustainable and clean source of energy. If successful, it could provide an almost limitless source of energy without producing long-lived radioactive waste or greenhouse gas emissions.
The construction of the Wendelstein 7-X Stellarator was completed in 2015, and it has been undergoing testing and optimization since then. In 2018, it achieved its first plasma and has since made significant progress in reaching its goal of sustaining plasma for longer periods of time.
If the Wendelstein 7-X Stellarator is successful, it could provide a sustainable and clean source of energy that has the potential to replace fossil fuels and significantly reduce our carbon footprint. It could also help to reduce our dependence on non-renewable energy sources and provide a more secure and reliable energy supply.