South Korea’s artificial sun set a new world record after it managed to maintain plasma at a high temperature for 20 seconds, with an ion temperature of over 100 million degrees (Celsius).
On November 27, the KSTAR Research Center at the Korean Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE) announced the joint research project with Seoul National University (SNU) and Columbia University in the United States.
The plasma was able to run continuously for 20 seconds with an ion temperature of more than 100 million degrees. Sounds hawt.
The landmark was appreciated as an important step in the search to generate electricity through nuclear fusion.
Si-Woo Yoon, director of KFE’s KSTAR Research Center, told phys.org: “The technologies needed for 100 million plasma-long operations are the key to achieving fusion energy and KSTAR’s success in maintaining a high temperature. plasma for 20 seconds will be an important turning point in the race to ensure technologies for long-term operation with high-performance plasma, a critical component of a commercial nuclear fusion reactor in the future. “
Yong-Su Na, a professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering who co-led the research, added: “The success of the KSTAR experiment in the long, high-temperature operation overcoming some of the disadvantages of ITB modes brings us one step closer to developing energy nuclear fusion. “
a month agoDr. Young-Seok Park of Columbia University, who helped create the plasma at high temperatures, said: “We are honored to be involved in such an important achievement at KSTAR.
“The ionic temperature of 100 million degrees obtained by activating the efficient heating of the base plasma for such a long time has demonstrated the unique capability of the KSTAR superconducting device and will be recognized as a convincing basis for high performance fusion plasmas, in a stable state.
The new goal of the KFE is to keep it running for 300 seconds until 2025. It explains: “The 300-second duration means being able to control the instability of nuclear fusion-based power generation.
“We will continue our challenge to achieve nuclear fusion energy, which is a goal of the entire human race.”
KFE President Suk Jae Yoo said: “I am so pleased to announce the new launch of KFE as an independent research organization in Korea. KFE will continue its tradition of undertaking challenging research to achieve humanity’s goal: achieving nuclear energy fusion. “