British Atomic Energy Agency.
The European Union Torus (JET) has proven its ability to reliably generate fusion energy while setting a world record for energy output.
A statement released by the UK's Atomic Energy Agency Callum Fusion Energy Centre (CEA) explained that during the final deuterium-tritium experiment at the JET, "high fusion power was continuously generated for 5 seconds, setting a breakthrough record using only 69 megajoules." 0.2 mg of fuel. ”
The JET is a tokamak device that uses a strong magnetic field to confine the plasma to the shape of a doughnut. The fusion reaction is created using deuterium and tritium fused together, the same fuel mixture used in future commercial fusion power plants.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr. Emmanuel Joffrin, head of the Eurofusion Tokamak Development Working Group at the CEA, said: "Not only did we demonstrate how to soften the intense heat flowing from the plasma to the exhaust pipe, but we also showed in the JET how to get the plasma edge into a steady state and thus prevent bursts of energy from reaching the wall.
Both technologies are designed to protect the integrity of the machine walls of the future. This is the first time we have been able to test these scenarios in a deuterium-tritium environment. ”
Decades of fusion development.
The JET program began work in 1983, and the first deuterium-tritium experiment was conducted in 1997. The project demonstrated fusion lasting five seconds at high power and set a world record in 2021 and officially ended its scientific operation in December 2023.
According to the CEA, JET's findings are of great significance not only for ITER in France, but also for the STEP prototype power unit in the UK, the European demonstration power unit demo, and other global fusion projects.
Andrew Bowie, UK Secretary of State for Nuclear and Cyber, said: "JET's final fusion experiment has been a fitting swan song since 1983, and the project has done all the groundbreaking work. Thanks to the help of the international team, we are closer than ever to fusion energy. "Scientists and engineers in Oxfordshire. ”
Professor Sir Ian Chapman, Chief Executive Officer of UKAEA, said: "JET has been operated as close as possible to the power plant conditions of today's facilities, and its legacy will be universally applied to all future power plants. ”
JET will now move into the next phase of its life cycle for repurposing and decommissioning. The CEO will host a celebration later this month to recognize its success.