Record for Nuclear Fusion Set in MIT Tokamak Reactor

[wolram]

I found this site very interesting.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161021133915.htm

Date:
October 21, 2016
Source:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Summary:
Scientists and engineers recently made a leap forward in the pursuit of clean energy. The team set a new world record for plasma pressure in an Alcator C-Mod tokamak nuclear fusion reactor. Plasma pressure is the key ingredient to producing energy from nuclear fusion, and MIT's new result achieves over 2 atmospheres of pressure for the first time.

 

[mfb]

At the last day of operation. If you don't care if something breaks, why not try to get the maximum out of it?

 

[rbelli1]

They are in a shared building in the middle of Boston. I don't think going Myth Busters on a multi Megawatt device is especially good for the other facilities housed in that building or perhaps neighboring buildings.

BoB

 

[Drakkith]

They are in a shared building in the middle of Boston. I don't think going Myth Busters on a multi Megawatt device is especially good for the other facilities housed in that building or perhaps neighboring buildings.

The danger of a catastrophic explosion is simply not a possibility. Other than perhaps an arc flash, I'm betting the worst you could get is some fried electrical components or damaged valves/probes/other fragile reactor components.

 

[mfb]

Exactly. The worst case for fusion reactors is a damaged reactor. The overall energy in the plasma is tiny, it is not even sufficient to melt the reactor walls.

 

[rbelli1]

I was more worried about the multi Megawatt power input to the device. Large energized superconducting magnets can do some interesting things if uncontrollably quenched.

BoB

 

[mfb]

The reactor used normalconducting magnets.

 

[rbelli1]

Well turn it up to 11 then!

BoB