Spherical Tokamaks

Point out news stories, on the net or in mainstream media, related to polywell fusion.

Moderators: tonybarry, MSimon

Skipjack
Posts: 6805
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2008 2:29 pm

Re: Spherical Tokamaks

Post by Skipjack »

Simulations are only as good as the real life data you base them on. We do now have a pretty good amount of practical experience with STs. Not as much as with regular Toks, but not bad.

Giorgio
Posts: 3061
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:15 pm
Location: China, Italy

Re: Spherical Tokamaks

Post by Giorgio »

Yes, most of the models I saw have the tendency to have too many assumptions (mostly to reduce the computing power needed to run the simulation), but this in the end prevents to have a clear understanding of the equilibrium point of the interactions among the different forces, especially for what it relates to MHD instabilities.

The good of ST is that they tend to be less prone to such instabilities, but for Toks it has been quite a problem that they are starting to solve only lately (and the solutions envisaged will indeed benefit also ST type of reactors).
A society of dogmas is a dead society.

Skipjack
Posts: 6805
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2008 2:29 pm

Re: Spherical Tokamaks

Post by Skipjack »

More information about the UKEA plan for their Spherical Tokamak STEP program, which for a government program is rather aggressive.
They seem to think that they have solved the problems with instabilities and some of the damage to the walls and they are going to test this in MAST Upgrade. That will be interesting to see. If it works out as they think, then Tokamak Energy has even more validation for their design.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYbNSgU ... e=emb_logo

Carl White
Posts: 476
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 10:44 pm

Re: Spherical Tokamaks

Post by Carl White »

"Mast Upgrade: UK experiment could sweep aside fusion hurdle"

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-57232644
The new exhaust system being trialled at Culham is known as a Super-X divertor. This would allow components in future commercial tokamaks to last for much longer; greatly increasing the power plant's availability, improving its economic viability and reducing the cost of fusion electricity.

Tests at Mast Upgrade have shown at least a tenfold reduction in the heat on materials with the Super-X system.

Researchers said the results were a "game-changer"
Dr Andrew Kirk, lead scientist on Mast Upgrade, said the results were "the moment our team at UKAEA has been working towards for almost a decade".

"We built Mast Upgrade to solve the exhaust problem for compact fusion power plants, and the signs are that we've succeeded.

"Super-X reduces the heat on the exhaust system from a blowtorch level down to more like you'd find in a car engine. This could mean it would only have to be replaced once during the lifetime of a power plant."

RERT
Posts: 271
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 9:10 pm

Re: Spherical Tokamaks

Post by RERT »

and this, probably the source of the article, with link to youtube...which mostly repeats the press release....

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/firs ... t-problems

Skipjack
Posts: 6805
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2008 2:29 pm

Re: Spherical Tokamaks

Post by Skipjack »

Interesting! This is good news for Tokamak Energy.

Giorgio
Posts: 3061
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:15 pm
Location: China, Italy

Re: Spherical Tokamaks

Post by Giorgio »

Well, is a great news indeed.
I was waiting for these results since they finished upgrading MAST at the end of last year.
The results seems even better than the simulation, if confirmed this is really a solution to the biggest issue we had to date for a working fusion reactor.
Finally some interesting results! 8)
A society of dogmas is a dead society.

RERT
Posts: 271
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 9:10 pm

Re: Spherical Tokamaks

Post by RERT »

More from HMG in the UK, being proactive on Fusion, in aid of STEP. At first glance the thrust seems to be that fusion is sufficiently safe that it justifies lighter touch regulation than fission. Given that regulatory costs are what is choking off fission, that's very welcome indeed.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new- ... ion-energy
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... report.pdf

Post Reply