Progress on Plasma Confinement at University of Washington
R&D Magazine reports on progress on plasma confinement at the University of Washington. One of the key obstacles for fusion energy is the ability to control and confine plasma. Researchers from UW experimented with a design that they say resembles “mug handles” on a coffee mug – essentially coils shaped like handles. The design shows promise in keeping plasma stable. From the article:
The UW apparatus uses two handle-shaped coils to alternately generate currents on either side of the central core, a method the authors call imposed dynamo current drive. Results show the plasma is stable and the method is energy-efficient, but the UW research reactor is too small to fully contain the plasma without some escaping as a gas. Next, the team hopes to attach the device to a larger reactor to see if it can maintain a sufficiently tight magnetic bottle.
To read the full article, click here.
