What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
NEW DELHI: Japan has revealed the world’s largest functional experimental nuclear fusion reactor, named JT-60SA. Situated in a hangar north of Tokyo in Naka, this immense device marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of clean and boundless energy.
In contrast to the conventional nuclear fission employed in power plants, where atomic nuclei are split, fusion emulates the sun’s energy production by combining two nuclei. This approach holds the promise of a safer and more plentiful energy source.
The JT-60SA, a six-story-tall tokamak, is engineered to confine and manage plasma heated to an astonishing 200 million degrees Celsius. The primary goal is to investigate the feasibility of fusion as a secure, expansive, and carbon-neutral net energy source, where the energy produced exceeds the input required for its production.
This collaborative endeavour between the European Union and Japan serves as a precursor to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) presently under construction in France. Both initiatives share the ambitious objective of achieving a net energy gain from fusion, a breakthrough that could transform our energy systems.
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Sam Davis, the deputy project leader, underscored the collective effort behind the JT-60SA, involving over 500 scientists, engineers, and 70 companies from Europe and Japan. During the inauguration, EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson hailed the reactor as “the most advanced tokamak in the world” and a significant milestone in fusion history. She envisioned fusion becoming a central component of the global energy mix later in this century.
The recent attainment of net energy gain from fusion at the National Ignition Facility in the US, using the inertial confinement fusion method, represents a significant breakthrough. This achievement fosters optimism about the potential contribution of the JT-60SA to a future powered by fusion energy.
Fusion energy distinguishes itself through its safety advantages compared to fission, as it eliminates the risk of catastrophic accidents like the Fukushima disaster in 2011 and produces minimal radioactive waste.
In the face of global efforts to address climate change and reduce dependence on carbon-emitting fossil fuels, the progress of the JT-60SA provides a glimpse into a future where clean and boundless power could become a reality.
