English

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

74
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
  • GF Machining Solutions will showcase the latest members of its laser tradition on EPHJ

    At the EPHJ exhibition, GF Machining Solutions will showcase its latest laser solutions for microfabrication and 3D surface texture processing. Inspired by 70 years of innovation in the machine tool industry and 15 years of mastery of laser technology, GF Machining Solutions' latest innovations enable manufacturers to take speed and accuracy to new levels - they can experience it firsthand at EP...

    2024-06-06
    See translation
  • Eoptolink launches optical transceivers for immersion cooling

    Eoptolink Technology has expanded its product portfolio to meet the new market of optical transceiver modules operating in environments using immersion cooling.The Eoptolink EOLO-138HG-5H-SYMR is an optical transceiver for the 800G OSFP DR8, which can be completely immersed in a 2-phase liquid cooling environment. The EOLO-138HG-02-SYMR is an 800G OSFP DR8+. This transceiver has fiber optic tail f...

    2024-03-26
    See translation
  • LAP launches CAD-PRO Xpert, an industrial laser projector using cutting-edge technology platforms

    LAP launched its latest version of the industrial laser projection system CAD-PRO Xpert at this year's JEC World. This innovation signifies the company's commitment to providing the most advanced laser engineering for various industries to achieve precise, efficient, and reliable laser guidance and positioning tasks, which is an important milestone.Redefining laser projection in the production pro...

    2024-03-07
    See translation
  • Laser Photonics Corporation sets high growth strategy for 2025

    Recently, laser cleaning equipment manufacturer Laser Photonics Corporation (LPC) announced its ambitious 2025 growth strategy, emphasizing innovation, strategic investment, and market expansion. LPC Executive Vice President John Armstrong stated:With a solid foundation laid in 2024, we will enter 2025 with clear momentum and a firm focus on growth. The progress we made last year - strengthening...

    01-20
    See translation
  • AWOL Vision will showcase cutting-edge laser projectors and award-winning innovations at CEDIA 2023

    AWOL Vision has announced that it will be showcasing the latest innovations in home entertainment at this year's CEDIA Expo in Denver, Colorado from September 7-9.At the show, AWOL Vision will debut the new LVV-3000 Pro and LVV-3500 Pro laser projectors with Dolby Vision and Control4 integration, and will showcase the latest Vanish TV, The TV recently received the prestigious "IFA 2023 Best of the...

    2023-09-08
    See translation