This Reactor Withstands Temperatures Up to 20 Times Hotter Than the Sun
The Joint European Torus (JET) recently tested the suitability of a new structural material that can withstand temperatures up to 20 times hotter than the sun. The ultimate goal of the JET is to harness nuclear fusion to create electricity. Built in 1983, the JET is a collaborative project between over two dozen European countries, and it is currently Europe’s largest fusion device. From the article:
In October 2012 it put its electricity-generating experiments on hold to test the suitability of a new structural material — a combination of beryllium and tungsten — that can withstand temperatures “up to 20 times hotter than the Sun”, says Romanelli. Since this new material proved far more resilient than the current carbon walls, it will now be included in the design of all large-scale commercial fusion devices.
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