The teams behind the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), China's most advanced experimental nuclear fusion reactor, have recently achieved a significant milestone. They maintained a stable plasma for an impressive duration of 1,066 seconds a world record that marks a significant step toward commercial nuclear fusion.
To provide context, EAST is a tokamak constructed based on a model similar to that of ITER. It is a toroidal enclave (donut-shaped) where plasma, the medium for nuclear fusion reactions, is contained using massive electromagnets, which is why this approach is called "magnetic confinement." The plasma is the core of these fusion reactions, requiring an initial introduction of tritium and deuterium gas into a vacuum chamber before being heated to extreme temperatures, ideally over a hundred million degrees Celsius.
While this phase demands enormous energy input, which might seem counterproductive, it is crucial. The higher the plasma density and temperature, the greater the probability of fusion between atoms, leading to increased energy production. However, stabilizing such plasma is challenging, as any slight fluctuation in temperature or the magnetic field can disrupt the reaction. Notably, Google’s DeepMind has developed a sophisticated AI model to optimize plasma configurations within reactors for enhanced stability, paving the way for future advancements in nuclear fusion.
