On February 12, a remarkable achievement occurred as the CEA’s West machine set a groundbreaking record by sustaining a plasma for over 22 minutes. This impressive feat shattered the previous plasma duration record held by a tokamak, signaling a significant advancement in our understanding and technological management of plasmas over extended periods. This achievement brings renewed optimism that fusion plasmas can be stabilized for much longer durations in machines like the Iter.
The West tokamak, operated from the CEA Cadarache site in southern France, managed to maintain a plasma for an astonishing 1,337 seconds. This accomplishment marked a 25% increase over the previous record held by East in China, set just weeks before. Reaching such durations is a crucial step forward for fusion endeavors like Iter, which aim to sustain fusion plasmas for several minutes. The challenge lies in controlling the naturally unstable plasma while ensuring all components exposed to it remain functional and uncontaminated.
CEA researchers are determined to conquer these challenges, as demonstrated by this record achievement. In the months ahead, the West team is intensifying efforts to extend plasma durations to several hours and to elevate plasma temperatures to come closer to the conditions expected for fusion plasmas.
West is a premier CEA facility, drawing from decades of expertise in tokamak use for plasma research. It attracts global researchers who leverage its unique features that facilitate prolonged plasma experiments, notably its superconducting coils and actively cooled components. West is part of a larger international effort that includes significant experiments like JET in the UK, JT-60SA in Japan, EAST in China, and KSTAR in South Korea. These efforts, alongside the flagship machine Iter, reflect the collaborative push towards fusion energy.
Anne-Isabelle Etienvre, Director of Fundamental Research at the CEA, expressed pride in West’s achievement, noting the accomplishment of maintaining hydrogen plasma for over twenty minutes with 2 MW of heating power. With experiments set to continue with increased power, this success cements West’s and France’s leadership in paving the way for the future of Iter and fusion energy.
