In the heart of South Korea, scientists at the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE) are pushing the boundaries of plasma physics, with implications that could revolutionize the energy sector. Led by Jeongwon Lee, a team of researchers has developed a groundbreaking system for real-time disruption prediction and mitigation in mega-ampere (MA) plasma experiments, a significant step forward in the quest for sustainable fusion energy.
The Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) device, often dubbed the “Korean artificial sun,” is at the center of this innovation. KSTAR is designed to replicate the conditions of the sun to produce clean, virtually limitless energy through nuclear fusion. However, achieving this goal is fraught with challenges, one of the most significant being plasma disruptions.
Plasma disruptions in tokamaks like KSTAR can release immense amounts of magnetic energy, severely damaging in-vessel components. “Disruptions of around 1 MA plasma current have severely affected the in-vessel components,” Lee explained. “Our goal was to develop a system that could predict and mitigate these disruptions in real-time, ensuring the longevity and safety of the tokamak.”
The team’s solution is a data-driven real-time disruption detection model based on a neural network, integrated into KSTAR’s plasma control system. This model, combined with an empirical threshold of plasma vertical position error, can predict disruptions with remarkable accuracy. To mitigate these disruptions, the researchers used a deuterium-neon mixture gas, effectively stabilizing the plasma and preventing damage to the tokamak.
The implications of this research are profound for the energy sector. Fusion power, if harnessed effectively, could provide a nearly limitless source of clean energy, significantly reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and mitigating climate change. The ability to predict and mitigate plasma disruptions is a crucial step towards making fusion power a viable commercial reality.
The success of this system in the 2022 KSTAR campaign, particularly in high-density and MA plasma development experiments, marks a significant milestone. The team also studied a plasma termination methodology triggered by the disruption alarm, further enhancing the safety and efficiency of the tokamak.
This research, published in the journal ‘Nuclear Fusion’ (translated from Korean as ‘핵융합’), represents a significant advancement in the field of fusion energy. As we stand on the brink of a potential energy revolution, the work of Lee and his team at KFE offers a glimpse into a future powered by the same forces that drive our sun. The commercial impacts could be transformative, paving the way for a new era of clean, sustainable energy. The journey to fusion power is long and complex, but with each breakthrough, we edge closer to a future where clean, abundant energy is a reality, not just a dream.
