Engineers are moving the world’s most powerful magnet to the ITER fusion reactor. It is the world’s largest experimental fusion reactor which is located in France.
The massive 1,000-ton solenoid, a type of electromagnet is capable of generating controlled magnetic fields. The structure will be around 60 feet tall and around 13 feet wide. The fusion reactor can produce a magnetic field of 13 Tesla, which is around 280,000 times stronger than our planet’s magnetic field, reports New Scientist.
Will it produce electricity?
The first of the six modules is now being move from the General Atomics factory in California. The scientists believe the huge magnet might someday enable ITER to produce more energy using fusion than is required to generate the reaction.
Fusion is a process where hydrogen atoms are fused together to create helium atoms. During the process, massive amount of energy is released that can be used to produce electricity.
However, while much advancement has been made in the last few decades, it would still take far more energy to start the reaction than you can churn out of it at the end.
New form of energy production
The ITER fusion reactor, which will soon be the largest of its kind, might turn this equation around, which will pave the way for a new form of energy production. Besides, with the new method, there won’t be the risk of a nuclear meltdown.
Steam will be generated inside the massive chambers during the reaction, which will drive the huge turbines to produce energy. The solenoid will be trapping hot and pressurized plasma at its core. It will then allow the plasma to flow around a big ring structure.
Whether ITER is able to produce a net gain in energy remains to be seen. Engineers envision achieving “First Plasma” by late 2025. And, a decade later, the full-power operation will kickoff.
The UK has also announced its plans of developing a Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP), a nuclear power station that will begin construction in 2030 and could require funds around £2 billion.
