What happens if a tokamak fails?
If any of the systems fail (such as the confining toroidal magnetic field) or if, by accident, too much fuel is put into the plasma, the plasma will naturally terminate (what we call “disrupt”) – losing its energy very quickly and extinguishing before any sustained damage is done to the structure.
What happens if the confinement of a fusion reactor fails?
At its worst, it could kill you. Best case scenario: the reactor is destroyed but the gas is contained by some secondary containment vessel so the tritium leak doesn’t happen, and the gas can be collected and processed properly. At its worst, it could kill you.
Why is ITER important?
The experimental campaign that will be carried out at ITER is crucial to advancing fusion science and preparing the way for the fusion power plants of tomorrow. ITER will be the first fusion device to produce net energy. ITER will be the first fusion device to maintain fusion for long periods of time.
Can ITER explode?
During operation, the ITER Tokamak chamber will contain only a tiny amount, less than one tenth of a gram, of hydrogen fuel at any given moment. If disruption occurs during a pulse, the reaction cools and ends. “A nuclear explosion in ITER is simply not possible,” says Loughlin.
What is the main problem with tokamak?
The stored thermal and magnetic energy in the hot plasma can lead to plasma instabilities and loss of plasma confinement, i.e., plasma disruptions1. Loss of plasma confinement is a serious issue in tokamak devices that threatens successful operation of the tokamak designs.
How does tokamak reactor work?
Inside a tokamak, the energy produced through the fusion of atoms is absorbed as heat in the walls of the vessel. Just like a conventional power plant, a fusion power plant will use this heat to produce steam and then electricity by way of turbines and generators.
What does ITER stand for?
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor
Iter, which stands for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, is a major international project to build a 500MW tokamak fusion device (requiring an input of 50MW) designed to prove the feasibility of fusion as a large-scale and carbon-free source of energy.