A cornerstone of the U.S. fusion research program, the National Fusion Center DIII-D has achieved a major accomplishment. The nuclear fusion facility has completed its 200,000th experimental cycle.

“While achieving 200,000 shots is impressive in itself, this feat is much more than just a number,” said Dr. Richard Buttery, director of the DIII-D National Fusion Center.

Nuclear fusion has long been hailed as the “holy grail” of clean energy. It is the process of nuclear fusion itself that powers the sun and stars. Unlike nuclear fission, which splits atoms and generates radioactive waste, fusion involves combining lighter atoms to form heavier ones.

During the fusion process, immense energy is released with minimal impact on the environment. It promises to offer a safe and abundant source of energy, which has fueled a global race to achieve practical fusion energy.

Research institutes and scientists around the world have stepped up efforts to realize nuclear fusion energy. It is in this context that the latest milestone of 200,000 cycles achieved by the national DII-D fusion facility becomes remarkable.

DIII-D advancements include several aspects

Each of these cycles, called “shots,” involves the creation, shaping and confinement of plasmas in DIII-D. tokamaka donut-shaped device that uses powerful electromagnets to contain superheated material.

These experiments provide vital data to advance the understanding of fusion and contribute to the development of fusion power plants.

“These shots represent continued and important progress on the path to fusion energy. Each is a challenge solved, a question answered, a career started or progressed, or a new technology proven. underlines Doctor Buttery.

Recent advances in DIII-D include surpassing a theoretical limit on plasma density, a key requirement for fusion power plant design, and generating the world’s most powerful fusion plasmas in innovative configurations.

These advances have significant implications for the design and economics of future fusion power plants.

“By leveraging its world-class diagnostic capability to validate advanced computational models, DIII-D informs the design of reliable solutions for potential future prototypes and fusion pilot plants,” added Dr. Jean Paul Allain, Associate Director of Science for Fusion Energy Sciences, in a press release.

Recent research and discoveries

DIII-D also plays a vital role in supporting the growing fusion industry. With more than 100 participating organizations, including 16 commercial entities, DIII-D promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing between the public and private sectors.

In a recent study, researchers at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility shed light on the impact of a tokamak’s magnetic islands on plasma stability. The study results are essential to help scientists design and create tokamaks capable of supporting the conditions necessary for fusion reactions to take place.

Additionally, DIII-D’s achievements align with prevailing global trends, in which governments and private companies are investing billions in fusion energy research and development. Recently, the United Kingdom MAST Upgrade The fusion experiment launched a campaign to generate a record 1,600 plasma pulses.

In addition, a few days ago, the British company Tokamak Energy unveiled the project for a nuclear fusion power plant capable of powering around 70,000 homes. On the sidelines, the American company General Atomics is also campaigning in favor of nuclear fusion. She developed a software platform, FUSEwhich aims to accelerate and rationalize the development of nuclear fusion reactors.