chanelink logo
CHANELINK
English

Oxford University Tokamak Energy Company develops laser technology for fusion power plants

1150
2024-03-14 15:00:07
See translation

Tokamak Energy is currently developing a new laser measurement technology for controlling extreme conditions inside fusion power plants.
The laser based dispersion interferometer system is being tested at the company's headquarters in Oxford and will be installed on its world record breaking fusion machine ST40 later this year.

Clean, safe, and renewable nuclear fusion power generation occurs inside the tokamak, which is a device that heats plasma to over 100 million degrees Celsius.
A professional laser system will closely and accurately measure the hydrogen fuel contained inside, ensuring that the burning plasma remains stable and maintains density.

Dr. Tadas Pyragius, a plasma physicist at Tokamak Energy, explained, "Measuring plasma density is key to our understanding and control of fusion fuels and future efficient power plant operations.".
The interaction between laser beams emitted by plasma and electrons tells us the density of fuel, which is crucial for sustained fusion conditions and providing safe and reliable energy to the power grid.

"The extreme conditions caused by the nuclear fusion process mean that we now need to improve laser based diagnostic technology to advance our mission of providing clean, safe, and affordable nuclear fusion energy in the 2030's."
The ST40 of Tokamak Energy is the first private nuclear fusion machine to achieve a plasma ion temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius, which is the threshold for commercial nuclear fusion.

Since achieving a breakthrough in 2022, the machine has undergone a series of hardware upgrades, including new power supplies and diagnostic systems.
Last year, the company successfully debugged the Thomson scattering laser diagnostic instrument for ST40 to provide detailed readings of plasma temperature and density at specific locations.
After further upgrades and maintenance, the machine will be put back into use later in 2024.

Source: Laser Net

Related Recommendations

  • JMP： Small hole mode swing laser welding of nickel based high-temperature alloys - simulation, experiment, and process diagram

    IntroductionThe small hole mode swing laser welding has gained increasing recognition due to its ability to bridge gaps, refine microstructures, and enhance the mechanical properties of welds. However, the effects of amplitude, frequency, welding speed, laser beam power, and beam radius on heat flux distribution, melting mode, and three-dimensional temperature field have not been well understood. ...

    04-11
    See translation

  • Shanghai Optical Machine has made progress in frequency shift of even harmonic of single layer MoS2

    Recently, the research team of the State Key Laboratory of High-Field Laser Physics at the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has made progress in using high-field lasers to drive the even harmonic frequency shift of single-layer MoS2. The results were published in Optics Express under the title "Frequency shift of even-order high harmonic generation...

    2023-09-07
    See translation

  • Bystronic expands laser product field through acquisition of Rofin

    Swiss mechanical engineering company Bystronic will acquire Coherent's Materials Processing Tools business unit and its Rofin laser brand in order to expand its business into the fields of medical devices, semiconductors, and general manufacturing. Bystronic is diversifying its business interests. As detailed in a company statement, the mechanical engineering company, which operates out of Zuric...

    11-04
    See translation

  • Brother launches a series of color LED laser printers for homes and offices

    Brother is an innovative global company that proudly launches its latest series of color LED laser printers. The new printer series is colorful and seamlessly connected, designed specifically for home and small office environments.The company's latest product aims to improve productivity in home and small business environments, combining excellent printing quality with excellent printing speed. Ea...

    2024-03-20
    See translation

  • Scientists use glass to create femtosecond lasers

    Image source: Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, SwitzerlandScience and Technology Daily, Beijing, September 27th (Reporter Zhang Jiaxin) Commercial femtosecond lasers are manufactured by placing optical components and their mounting bases on a substrate, which requires strict alignment of optical components. So, is it possible to manufacture femtosecond lasers entirely from glas...

    2023-09-28
    See translation