South Korea’s artificial sun has set a new world record after having managed to keep plasma at a high temperature for 20 seconds with an ion temperature above 100 million degrees (centigrade).
On November 27, the KSTAR Research Center of the Korean Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE) announced the joint research project with Seoul National University (SNU) and Columbia University in the United States.
It was successful in a continuous operation of the plasma for 20 seconds with an ionic temperature above 100 million degrees. Sona hawt.
The milestone has been considered an important step in the search to generate electricity through nuclear fusion.
Director Si-Woo Yoon of KFE’s KSTAR Research Center told phys.org: “The technologies needed for long-term 100 million plasma operations are the key to realizing fusion energy and the success of KSTAR by keeping the plasma temperature high for 20 seconds will be a major turning point in the race to ensure technologies for long-term operation of high-performance plasma, a critical component of a commercial nuclear fusion reactor in the future “.
Yong-Su Na, a professor in the Nuclear Engineering department who has been conducting the research together, added: “The success of the KSTAR experiment in the long operation at high temperature overcoming some drawbacks of the ITB modes brings us one step further. to the development of technologies for the realization of nuclear fusion energy. “
one month agoDr Young-Seok Park of Columbia University, who contributed to the creation of high-temperature plasma, said: “We are honored to be a part of such an important achievement at KSTAR.
“The ionic temperature of 100 million degrees achieved by allowing efficient heating of the core plasma for such a long time demonstrated the unique capability of the KSTAR superconducting device and will be recognized as a compelling basis for steady – state fusion plasmas. high performance “.
KFE’s new goal is to maintain operation for 300 seconds by 2025. He explained: “The 300-second duration means being able to control the instability of nuclear fusion-based power generation.
“We will continue our challenge of realizing nuclear fusion energy, which is a goal of the entire human race.”
Suk Jae Yoo, president of KFE, said: “I am very pleased to announce the new launch of KFE as Korea’s independent research organization. KFE will continue its tradition of conducting challenging research to achieve the goal of humanity: the realization of nuclear energy fusion “.