MIT's simple ARC reactor for nuclear fusion power plants

in environment on 2015-12-02 10:46 (#WCZ9)

Advances in magnet technology have enabled researchers at MIT to propose a new design for a practical compact tokamak fusion reactor. MIT's new reactor is named as the ARC reactor.

Rare-earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) superconducting tapes are the enabling technology behind the ARC reactor. When it is cooled to liquid nitrogen temperature, the superconducting tape can carry as much current as the large copper conductor, enabling the construction of extremely high"field magnets, which consume minimal amounts of power.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3ECJSEeW_A&list=PLK2ccNIJVPpB_XqWWq_oaZGIDzmKiSkYc

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/76112/20150812/tiny-fusion.htm

Re: No evidence that it does shit to address the real problem (Score: 1)

by billshooterofbul@pipedot.org on 2015-12-08 15:26 (#X1NG)

Well, yes confinement is a huge issue, and obviously all other tokamaks have used superconducting magnets, this uses high temp ( well liquid nitrogen is considered high temp) ones that reduced the energy needed to keep them cool. Less input energy should mean that getting to a point where they put out more energy than they take in should be easier. I thinkthat's the significance here.

But yeah, huge problems like confinement remain. I'm so disappointed that NIF didn't work. Although, in retrospect, I wonder if it was ever supposed to work for non weapons reasons.