Scientists have achieved a major breakthrough by creating a fusion experiment using permanent magnets for the first time. This innovative technique has the potential to significantly reduce the cost of building future fusion power plants and allows researchers to explore new concepts.
According to Tony Qian, a graduate student at the Princeton Program in Plasma Physics, the use of permanent magnets represents a revolutionary approach to designing stellarators. The device, known as MUSE, offers a quick and easy way to test new plasma confinement ideas.
Unlike traditional stellarators that rely on complex electromagnets, MUSE utilizes commercially available permanent magnets, similar to those found on refrigerator doors. These magnets do not require electric currents to generate magnetic fields and can be easily integrated into the device’s vacuum vessel using 3D-printed technology.
Michael Zarnstorff, a senior research physicist at PPPL, emphasized the cost-effective nature of MUSE, stating that it is largely constructed with off-the-shelf parts. By collaborating with 3D-printing companies and magnet suppliers, the project can obtain the necessary precision without the need for in-house manufacturing.
2024-04-03 07:00:04
Article from phys.org