Questions regarding stellarators

In summary, there is no hard limit on how long a plasma discharge can last in a stellarator as long as heating and cooling processes are maintained and there are no instabilities. While tokamaks have a fundamental limit of a few minutes due to the need to ramp up magnets to induce a plasma current, stellarators can avoid this issue by directly providing a suitable magnetic field geometry from their coils. As for achieving energy breakeven due to size like ITER, it is still being studied but it is possible for a future stellarator to achieve this.
  • #1
Ortala
I have two questions regarding stellarators:

how long can a plasma discharge last in a stellarator? wendelstein 7-x supposedly will achieve 30 minutes in the future with a water-cooled divertor, but can future stellarators achieve longer discharges? or is it going to be like the tokamaks where there is a fundamental limit of a few minutes due to the effects of the plasma current?

Also, can a future stellarator achieve energy breakeven due to size like ITER ?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Ortala said:
how long can a plasma discharge last in a stellarator?
There is no hard limit. As long as heating and cooling work and no instability appears the plasma can stay. A power plant would try to run it continuously.
A tokamak has to induce a plasma current which means it has to ramp up magnets, and that can't go on forever. A stellarator avoids that, it directly provides a suitable magnetic field geometry from its coils and does not need a plasma current for it.
Ortala said:
Also, can a future stellarator achieve energy breakeven due to size like ITER ?
Probably, but that is still studied.
 

Related to Questions regarding stellarators

1. What is a stellarator?

A stellarator is a type of fusion reactor that uses a three-dimensional magnetic field to confine and control plasma. Unlike other fusion reactors, which use a toroidal (doughnut-shaped) magnetic field, stellarators use a more complex magnetic field to achieve the same goals.

2. How does a stellarator work?

A stellarator works by using carefully designed magnetic coils to create a complex magnetic field that traps and controls plasma. This field must be precisely shaped and adjusted in order to keep the plasma stable and hot enough for fusion to occur.

3. What are the advantages of a stellarator over other fusion reactors?

One advantage of stellarators is that they do not require a large current to maintain the magnetic field, making them potentially more efficient than other fusion reactors. They are also able to operate continuously, rather than in pulses like other reactors.

4. What are the challenges facing stellarators?

One of the main challenges facing stellarators is the complexity of their design and construction. They require precise engineering and manufacturing, making them more expensive to build than other fusion reactors. Additionally, the complex magnetic fields can be difficult to control and maintain.

5. Are there any functioning stellarators currently in operation?

Yes, there are several functioning stellarators around the world, including the Wendelstein 7-X in Germany, the Large Helical Device in Japan, and the Helically Symmetric Experiment in the United States. These reactors are still in the early stages of research and development, and have not yet achieved fusion at a sustainable rate.

Similar threads

Types of fusion reactors and how they work?
    • Nuclear Engineering
Replies
7
Views
2K
Cylindrical and Symmetrical Nuclear Fusion Reactor
    • Nuclear Engineering
Replies
19
Views
2K
The Wendelstein 7-X Stellarator: The Future of Nuclear Fusion
    • Nuclear Engineering
Replies
8
Views
2K
A What is wrong with particle acceleration based fusion?
    • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
5
Views
1K
Too Much Stellar Flux: Fixing a 25-year old Problem
    • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
9
Views
2K
B Exploring Nuclear Fusion: IEC Fusion Reactor Construction and Operation
    • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
19
Views
3K
What if we had commercial fusion power?
    • Nuclear Engineering
3
Replies
70
Views
8K
Studying Preparing for Plasma Physics (Jackson)
    • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
4
Views
2K
Writing: Input Wanted A dangerous space mission that requires a lot of helping hands
    • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
22
Views
2K
Lockheed's compact fusion reactor question
    • Nuclear Engineering
Replies
33
Views
6K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top