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How are magnets involved in containing plasma?
By setting up magnetic field lines toroidally around the interior of the tokamak , the ions and electrons in the plasma are forced to travel tightly around these field lines, preventing them from escaping the vessel. Extra fields help shape the plasma and hold it stable within the tokamak interior.
Does magnetic confinement contain fusion?
Magnetic confinement is one of two major branches of fusion energy research, along with inertial confinement fusion. Fusion reactions combine light atomic nuclei such as hydrogen to form heavier ones such as helium, producing energy.
Can magnetic fields contain plasma?
Plasmas consist of charged particles—positive nuclei and negative electrons—that can be shaped and confined by magnetic forces. Like iron filings in the presence of a magnet, particles in the plasma will follow magnetic field lines.
Does fusion produce radiation?
Fusion on the other hand does not create any long-lived radioactive nuclear waste. A fusion reactor produces helium, which is an inert gas. Tritium is radioactive (a beta emitter) but its half life is short. It is only used in low amounts so, unlike long-lived radioactive nuclei, it cannot produce any serious danger.
What is magnetic confinement fusion?
Magnetic Confinement Fusion The development of nuclear fusion reactorspresently focuses on either magnetic confinement reactors or inertial confinementprocesses. Even if you manage to generate the extremely high temperaturesneeded to initiate nuclear fusion reactions, there is no material container which can withstand such temperatures.
How does inertial confinement fusion work?
(Courtesy of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.) In Inertial Confinement Fusion, a pellet of DT fuel is compressed by a laser to temperatures and densities high enough to satisfy the Lawson criterion. Most inertial confinement methods proceed a three-step process.
What is inertial confinement and NIF?
Inertial Confinement and the NIF. In Inertial Confinement Fusion, a pellet of DT fuel is compressed by a laser to temperatures and densities high enough to satisfy the Lawson criterion. Most inertial confinement methods proceed a three-step process. First, the pellet of DT fuel is heated by the external power source.
What is the best approach to magnetic confinement?
One approach to magnetic confinement is the tokamak approach used in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) at Princeton. That project is now completed, and a large international consortium has under development the ITERto further develop magnetic confinement fusion with the goal of energy production. Index Fusion concepts HyperPhysics*****Nuclear