January 30, 2025
Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST)/आईटीईआर (अंतर्राष्ट्रीय थर्मोन्यूक्लियर प्रायोगिक रिएक्टर)
Why in News ? the term was recently used in an article.
About Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) : It is a significant research facility for nuclear fusion research located in China. It is a part of the country’s efforts to develop sustainable, clean energy through nuclear fusion, which is the process of fusing atomic nuclei to release energy, similar to the processes occurring in the sun.
Purpose:
EAST is designed to advance the scientific understanding of plasma physics and nuclear fusion, which are essential for achieving controlled fusion as a clean and practically unlimited source of energy. It serves as an experimental platform for testing different components and systems of fusion reactors, contributing to global fusion research, including the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) project.
Key Features:
- Superconducting Magnet Technology:
- EAST is one of the world’s first fusion devices to use superconducting magnets, which are crucial for generating the strong magnetic fields needed to contain the hot plasma in which fusion reactions take place. Superconducting magnets are highly efficient because they can conduct electricity without resistance, making them ideal for continuous operation.
- Plasma Confinement:
- EAST uses a tokamak design, which is a doughnut-shaped magnetic confinement device. In a tokamak, powerful magnetic fields are used to keep the plasma stable and away from the walls of the chamber, preventing it from cooling down or coming into contact with materials.
- High-Temperature Plasma:
- The plasma in EAST can reach temperatures of more than 150 million degrees Celsius, which is several times hotter than the core of the sun. At these extreme temperatures, the hydrogen isotopes (deuterium and tritium) can overcome their repulsive forces and undergo fusion.
- Plasma Heating and Control:
- EAST has advanced systems for heating the plasma and maintaining its stability, including neutral beam injection and radiofrequency heating methods. These methods help achieve the high temperatures and densities needed for fusion reactions.
- Long-duration Plasma Operation:
- A key goal of EAST is to achieve long-duration plasma discharges, with the objective of maintaining a stable fusion reaction for sustained periods. This is a crucial step toward building a practical fusion power plant.
Achievements:
- World Records in Plasma Heating: EAST has achieved significant milestones in fusion energy research, including setting records for plasma temperature and confinement times. In 2021, EAST set a record by maintaining plasma for more than 1,000 seconds, which is a step toward the goal of continuous fusion.
- Contributing to ITER: The knowledge and experience gained from EAST contribute to the ITER project, which is currently under construction in France and is expected to be the first fusion reactor to achieve net positive energy production.
- Collaboration with International Fusion Research: EAST collaborates with other fusion research initiatives around the world and is a key player in the China National Fusion Research Program.
Future Prospects:
- The success of EAST could significantly accelerate the timeline for achieving commercial nuclear fusion. The research being conducted at EAST is essential for solving some of the most challenging technical problems in fusion energy, such as plasma stability, material erosion due to high-energy particles, and efficient heating systems.
- If successful, nuclear fusion could provide a nearly limitless and clean source of energy, without the radioactive waste and greenhouse gas emissions associated with current energy sources.
In summary, EAST is a critical facility in the global effort to harness fusion energy, pushing the boundaries of plasma physics and fusion technology. Its success is seen as a major step toward the realization of fusion as a sustainable energy source for the future.
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