France’s WEST reactor set a new nuclear fusion record by maintaining a plasma reaction for 22 minutes—25% longer than China’s EAST reactor. Using a tokamak design to reach 50 million °C, the achievement advances fusion research, bolstering prospects for ITER and demonstrating a critical step toward sustainable, clean energy generation.
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The WEST reactor in southern France has set a new world record in nuclear fusion by maintaining a plasma reaction for over 22 minutes, surpassing the previous record set by China’s EAST reactor by 25%.
The WEST Reactor (West Tokamak) is a French experimental nuclear fusion reactor operated by the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).
It is designed to extend research in nuclear fusion, the process of generating energy by fusing hydrogen isotopes (deuterium and tritium) at extremely high temperatures. This mimics the energy-producing process in stars like the Sun.
The goal is to demonstrate sustained, high-temperature plasma reactions as a step toward viable fusion energy for power generation.
Tokamak Design: The reactor uses a tokamak, a doughnut-shaped magnetic confinement device. Superconducting coils generate powerful magnetic fields to confine and heat plasma (ionized gas) to temperatures exceeding 50 million°C, three times hotter than the Sun’s core.
Plasma Creation: Hydrogen isotopes are heated to extreme temperatures, forming plasma—the fourth state of matter. Magnetic fields prevent the plasma from touching the reactor walls, which could cause cooling or contamination.
Heating Mechanism: The reactor injects 2 megawatts (MW) of power to sustain the plasma. Future experiments aim to increase this power for longer durations and higher temperatures.
Recently, the WEST reactor maintained a plasma reaction for 1,337 seconds (22 minutes and 17 seconds), significantly exceeding the previous record of 1,066 seconds (17 minutes and 46 seconds) set by China’s EAST reactor.
During the test, the plasma reached a temperature of 50 million degrees Celsius, about three times hotter than the core of the Sun. This extreme temperature is necessary to facilitate the fusion of hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium.
Maintaining plasma for extended periods is one of the three "golden conditions" required for nuclear fusion to be viable as an energy source. The other two conditions are achieving a high enough temperature and the right density of plasma.
The success of the WEST reactor offers hope for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a much larger fusion project currently under construction in southern France. ITER aims to demonstrate that nuclear fusion can be a reliable and scalable energy source.
Fusion Process: Nuclear fusion involves joining two light elements (such as deuterium and tritium) to form a heavier element, releasing vast amounts of energy in the process. This is the same process that powers the Sun and other stars.
Fission Process: Nuclear fission, currently used in most nuclear power plants, involves splitting heavy elements like uranium or plutonium to release energy. While both processes release energy, fusion produces less long-lived radioactive waste and uses fewer resources.
The CEA plans to continue experiments with the WEST reactor, aiming to further increase plasma duration and temperature. The goal is to achieve even longer plasma reactions and approach the conditions required for sustained nuclear fusion.
The WEST reactor is part of a broader international effort to develop nuclear fusion as a clean and efficient energy source. Other major projects include China’s EAST reactor, Japan’s JT-60SA, and the flagship ITER project.
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements about the WEST reactor: 1. It uses a stellarator design. 2. It broke China’s EAST reactor record by 25%. 3. It has already generated grid-scale electricity. How many of the above statements are correct? A) Only one B) Only two C) All three D) None Answer: A Explanation: Statement 1: Incorrect. The WEST reactor uses a tokamak design, not a stellarator. Tokamaks are the most common type of magnetic confinement fusion device, while stellarators are a distinct design with a twisted toroidal structure . Statement 2: Correct. WEST achieved a plasma duration of 1,337 seconds, surpassing China’s EAST reactor’s 1,066-second record by 25% . Statement 3: Incorrect. WEST is a research reactor focused on plasma stability and duration, not on generating grid-scale electricity. No fusion reactor has yet produced grid-scale electricity . |
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