rootone said:There is at least one other approach which is not entirely reliant on magnetic confinement, although that is still a part of the story.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendelstein_7-X
Plasma is one of the four fundamental states of matter, along with solid, liquid, and gas. In the context of nuclear fusion, plasma refers to a hot, electrically charged gas made up of ions and free electrons.
In nuclear fusion, plasma is created by heating a gas to extremely high temperatures, typically over 100 million degrees Celsius. This causes the atoms in the gas to collide with enough energy to break apart and form a plasma state.
Plasma is essential for nuclear fusion reactions as it contains the fuel (usually hydrogen isotopes) and allows for the reactants to be brought close enough together for fusion to occur. Plasma also helps to contain the extreme heat and pressure needed for fusion to take place.
Plasma is contained using magnetic fields or inertial confinement. In magnetic confinement, powerful magnets are used to contain the plasma in a toroidal (doughnut) shape, while in inertial confinement, powerful lasers or particle beams are used to rapidly compress and heat the fuel, creating a plasma state.
Controlling and sustaining plasma in nuclear fusion reactions is a major challenge in achieving successful fusion. Some of the challenges include preventing the plasma from cooling down, maintaining stability and confinement, and minimizing plasma disruptions caused by instabilities or impurities. Additionally, the high temperatures and pressures involved in fusion create engineering challenges for containing and controlling the plasma.