Kharkiv Times Jan. 15, 2016
In Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (Greifswald, Germany) in December helium plasma was heated to a temperature of a million degrees Celsius.
This was reported in V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (KNU), the graduates of which participated in the research. The process took place in one of the largest nuclear fusion reactor in the world – Stellarator Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X).
“It is a huge step to get a clean inexhaustible energy through nuclear fusion,” noted in the university.
The KNU stated that the event is of great importance for the Karazin University. “All members of the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in one way or another participated in the experiment. Some members made calculations of magnetic configuration, the others – heating system, still others – a system of gas injection, someone else – a vacuum system. In December in the institute worked, in particular, graduates of the Faculty of Physical Engineering of KNU Alexey Rounov, Nikolai Marushchenko, Alexey Mishchenko, Vladimir Bobkov,” emphasized the Center for Web communications of KNU.
Reference. W7-X will be able to hold the plasma for 30 minutes. At the first launch, plasma with the help of laser was heated to a temperature of about 1 million degrees Celsius and was held for about one tenth of a second. In January 2016 will heat hydrogen plasma which will be used in commercial fusion reactors.
The scientists of Physical and Technical Faculty of KNU made a significant contribution to the development of the stellarator concept of fusion and successfully implemented a number of national and international research projects in the field of plasma physics which have received international recognition. Thus, KNU became a member of the European association of education in the field of plasma physics and controlled thermonuclear fusion FUSENET.