Successful second round of fusion experiments with Wendelstein 7-X
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Re: Successful second round of fusion experiments with Wendelstein 7-X
#2"Although Wendelstein 7-X is not designed to generate energy, the device is intended to prove that stellarators are suitable for use in power stations. With Wendelstein 7-X the intention is to achieve for the first time in a stellarator the quality of confinement afforded by competing devices of the tokamak type."
This was at the very end.
While competition is certainly a positive, this doesn't sound like they're interested. Therefore, given the importance of fusion (read: there's a massive immediate need on the order of saving the planet), shouldn't the time and effort being put into stellarators be devoted to something that's important in the immediate?
Re: Successful second round of fusion experiments with Wendelstein 7-X
#3Experiments like Wendelstein remind me that the only thing holding back fusion power is money for research like this. Every year, we spend billions on fossil fuel exploration because the return on investment is quick - just think about all the wells going in to extract shale oil.
What if we collectively had the will to invest this much into fusion?
Re: Successful second round of fusion experiments with Wendelstein 7-X
#4"Although Wendelstein 7-X is not designed to generate energy, the device is intended to prove that stellarators are suitable for use in power stations. With Wendelstein 7-X the intention is to achieve for the first time in a stellarator the quality of confinement afforded by competing devices of the tokamak type." This was at the very end. While competition is certainly a positive, this doesn't sound like they're int…
There's still ways to go.
If they manage the same confinement as a tokamak they (hope to) have the advantage of continuous operation.
Re: Successful second round of fusion experiments with Wendelstein 7-X
#5Does anyone have any idea how do they take pictures of the plasma?
That seems quite hard considering the temperatures and the strong magnetic field.
Re: Successful second round of fusion experiments with Wendelstein 7-X
#6"Although Wendelstein 7-X is not designed to generate energy, the device is intended to prove that stellarators are suitable for use in power stations. With Wendelstein 7-X the intention is to achieve for the first time in a stellarator the quality of confinement afforded by competing devices of the tokamak type." This was at the very end. While competition is certainly a positive, this doesn't sound like they're int…
I am not an expert but from what I have read there are still a lot of unknowns in plasma physics and fusion so it makes sense to tackle fusion from a lot of different angles and not pick a winner already. In the end what's needed is more money for research. It'a s little sad that people are complaining about the high cost of ITER while spending multiples of that for military. Fusion may be a big contributor for peace in the future if it reduces the need for fighting about access to oil.
Re: Successful second round of fusion experiments with Wendelstein 7-X
#7"Although Wendelstein 7-X is not designed to generate energy, the device is intended to prove that stellarators are suitable for use in power stations. With Wendelstein 7-X the intention is to achieve for the first time in a stellarator the quality of confinement afforded by competing devices of the tokamak type." This was at the very end. While competition is certainly a positive, this doesn't sound like they're int…
I would say the opposite. Achieving fusion power is so critical to the long term sustainability of human technological civilization that we cannot afford to put all of our eggs in one basket, and hope that we picked the right one.
Re: Successful second round of fusion experiments with Wendelstein 7-X
#8"Although Wendelstein 7-X is not designed to generate energy, the device is intended to prove that stellarators are suitable for use in power stations. With Wendelstein 7-X the intention is to achieve for the first time in a stellarator the quality of confinement afforded by competing devices of the tokamak type." This was at the very end. While competition is certainly a positive, this doesn't sound like they're int…
Why is this not important? Tokamaks are "better" right now mostly just because they have had a lot more time and energy invested in them. We need stellarator experiments to see if stellarators like this one might be valid.
> something that's important in the immediate
That's not easy to find in fusion research.
Re: Successful second round of fusion experiments with Wendelstein 7-X
#9"Although Wendelstein 7-X is not designed to generate energy, the device is intended to prove that stellarators are suitable for use in power stations. With Wendelstein 7-X the intention is to achieve for the first time in a stellarator the quality of confinement afforded by competing devices of the tokamak type." This was at the very end. While competition is certainly a positive, this doesn't sound like they're int…
Given the importance of transportation for society, shouldn't this effort going into "automobiles" go towards better wooden wheels for horse-drawn carriages?
Re: Successful second round of fusion experiments with Wendelstein 7-X
#10"Although Wendelstein 7-X is not designed to generate energy, the device is intended to prove that stellarators are suitable for use in power stations. With Wendelstein 7-X the intention is to achieve for the first time in a stellarator the quality of confinement afforded by competing devices of the tokamak type." This was at the very end. While competition is certainly a positive, this doesn't sound like they're int…
From my classes some years ago IIRC the main benefit of the Stellarator was the lack of a plasma current which is no longer needed for plasma heating due to advances in neutral beam injection technologies.
The plasma current seems to create some instabilities so we may be able to achieve better confinement with a device that doesn't have one.
I would also agree with the other comments that we can't afford to put all our eggs into one basket - we spend a pitifully small amount on fusion research.