Articles tagged with "nuclear-fusion"
US researchers solve tokamak plasma mystery with elusive ‘voids’ discovery
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, have developed a new theoretical model that may explain a longstanding discrepancy in nuclear fusion research related to plasma behavior at the edge of tokamak reactors. The study, led by physicists Mingyun Cao and Patrick Diamond, focuses on the plasma boundary—a critical region for sustaining fusion reactions and protecting reactor components from extreme heat. Previous simulations underestimated the width of the turbulent layer at the plasma edge, a problem known as the “shortfall problem,” which has hindered accurate predictive modeling of plasma dynamics. The breakthrough centers on previously overlooked structures called “voids,” which are inward-moving, density-depleted formations at the plasma edge. While past research emphasized outward-moving, density-enhanced “blobs,” the role of voids remained unclear. Cao and Diamond’s model treats voids as coherent, particle-like entities that, as they move from the cooler plasma edge toward the hotter core, generate plasma drift waves by interacting with steep temperature and density gradients. These waves transfer
energynuclear-fusiontokamakplasma-physicsfusion-reactorturbulence-modelingplasma-boundaryGerman firm advances plan to build world's first nuclear fusion plant
Proxima Fusion, a Munich-based start-up spun out from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in 2023, has secured €130 million ($150 million) in its Series A funding round, bringing total funding to over €185 million ($213 million). The company aims to build the world’s first commercial nuclear fusion power plant using a stellarator design, leveraging a simulation-driven engineering approach and high-temperature superconducting (HTS) technology. Key near-term milestones include completing the Stellarator Model Coil (SMC) by 2027 to demonstrate HTS application and selecting a site for its demonstration stellarator, “Alpha,” which is planned to begin operations by 2031. Alpha is intended to achieve net energy gain (Q>1), a critical step toward a functional fusion power plant. Proxima Fusion’s technical strategy centers on the “Stellaris” concept, the first peer-reviewed stellarator design integrating physics, engineering, and maintenance from inception. This quasi-isodynamic stellarator
energynuclear-fusionfusion-power-plantstellaratorhigh-temperature-superconductorsclean-energyenergy-innovationUK logs record $3.4B for world's first prototype nuclear fusion plant
The UK government has committed a record £2.5 billion ($3.4 billion) to develop the world’s first prototype nuclear fusion power plant, known as STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production). This ambitious project will be constructed on the site of the former West Burton A coal power station in Nottinghamshire, marking a significant transition from fossil fuels to clean, futuristic energy technology. STEP aims to replicate the sun’s fusion process by heating hydrogen isotopes to 150 million degrees Celsius and confining them with powerful magnetic fields to generate carbon-free electricity. The initiative is central to the UK’s strategy to become a “clean energy superpower” and is expected to create over 10,000 jobs in the region, spanning construction through to operations. This investment reflects a broader global trend of substantial funding in nuclear fusion technology from governments and corporations alike. For example, Google has recently invested in TAE Technologies, which announced a breakthrough in fusion reactor readiness, while US scientists secured $2.3
energynuclear-fusionclean-energyfusion-power-plantUK-energy-investmentrenewable-energyenergy-technologyProxima Fusion joins the club of well-funded nuclear contenders with €130M Series A
Proxima Fusion, a German nuclear fusion startup, has raised €130 million (about $148 million) in a Series A funding round led by Balderton Capital and Cherry Ventures. This brings its total funding to over €185 million ($200 million), positioning Proxima as a leading European contender in the race to develop commercial fusion energy. The company focuses on stellarator reactors, which use twisted magnetic fields to confine plasma more stably than the more common tokamak designs. Proxima’s Stellaris design, developed near Germany’s Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, represents a significant technical milestone that helped secure the oversubscribed funding round. CEO Francesco Sciortino emphasized that the new capital will enable Proxima to reach critical milestones, including a key hardware demonstration planned for 2027, with the goal of advancing toward commercial viability by around 2031. The funding round attracted primarily European investors, reflecting a broader ambition for Europe to play a leadership role in the global energy transition by developing clean, stable, and uranium-free fusion power. Proxima operates across multiple European countries, with headquarters in Munich and research teams in Switzerland and the UK, underscoring its pan-European identity and commitment to building a sustainable energy future on the continent.
energynuclear-fusionclean-energyfusion-startupsventure-capitalenergy-securityfusion-reactorsUK firm achieves first commercial tritium breakthrough for fusion fuel
Astral Systems, a UK-based private fusion company, has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first firm to successfully breed tritium—a crucial fuel for nuclear fusion—using its own operational fusion reactor. This breakthrough occurred during a 55-hour Deuterium-Deuterium (DD) fusion irradiation campaign in March, in collaboration with the University of Bristol. The teams produced and detected tritium in real-time from an experimental lithium breeder blanket within Astral’s multi-state fusion reactors, addressing a major challenge in sustainable fusion energy development: generating more fuel than consumed. Astral Systems’ reactor employs its proprietary Multi-State Fusion (MSF) technology, which integrates recent advances in stellar physics and a novel lattice confinement fusion (LCF) approach, originally discovered by NASA in 2020. This design achieves solid-state fuel densities vastly exceeding those in plasma and enables two simultaneous fusion reactions within a compact reactor core. The electron-screened environment reduces the energy needed to overcome particle repulsion, lowering fusion temperatures and improving efficiency. This innovation not only advances tritium breeding but also opens possibilities for applications such as medical isotope production, nuclear waste transmutation, and hybrid fusion-fission systems. The University of Bristol team, supported by UK research bodies, is now focused on optimizing the system to enhance tritium output, signaling a promising path toward scalable fusion fuel production.
energynuclear-fusiontritium-breedingfusion-fuelfusion-reactorsustainable-energyfusion-technologyGoogle bets big on TAE’s cost-effective nuclear fusion reactor
energynuclear-fusionclean-powerTAE-TechnologiesGoogleAIplasma-technologyNew tech reveals plasma turbulence secrets for nuclear reactors
energynuclear-fusionplasma-turbulencecomplex-systemsquantum-mechanicsfusion-reactorsmulti-field-analysisUS nuclear fusion gets a 3D printing boost to fast-track construction
energynuclear-fusion3D-printingconstructionplasma-physicsmagnet-systemsNSTX-UUK fusion device gets heating components to withstand extreme temperature
fusionenergyplasma-heatingtokamakmaterialselectromagnetic-wavesnuclear-fusionFirst-ever liquid carbon created with lasers to boost fusion research
materialsnuclear-fusionliquid-carbonhigh-performance-laserscooling-agentsneutron-moderationextreme-conditionsUS’ laser-powered nuclear fusion achieves new net-positive energy records: Report
energynuclear-fusionlaser-technologypower-generationinertial-confinementenergy-yieldcontrolled-fusion