Magnetic fusion devices confine hot, dense
plasma for a sufficient period of time (a few seconds) so that atomic nuclei
can fuse by overcoming their natural repulsive forces. Fusion energy reactors
must attain a very high energy density for the fusion to become self-sustaining
and generate economically significant energy gains.
Due to the coupling of ionized particles
and fields, plasma systems must be treated as a coherent, interactive system
and not simply as an aggregate of parts. In plasma systems, a wide variety of
forces and instabilities can oppose efforts towards confinement. Nevertheless,
basic research has enabled experiments to perform a million times better than
devices used only 20 years ago. Today's experiments routinely produce fusion
and we are now on the threshold of having "burning plasma" experiments
that will allow the construction of useful fusion powers plants.
Please
see Plasmas.org
for more information.
Madison
Symmetric Torus
International Thermonuclear Experimental
Reactor
National
Spherical Torus Experiment
Swarthmore
Spheromak Experiment
Sustained Spheromak
Physics Experiment