Stable Deuterium-Tritium plasmas with improved confinement in the presence of energetic-ion instabilities
Providing stable and clean energy sources is a necessity for the increasing demands of humanity. Energy produced by Deuterium (D) and Tritium (T) fusion reactions, in particular in tokamaks, is a promising path towards that goal. However, there is little experience with plasmas formed by D-T mixtures, since most of the experiments are currently performed in pure D. After more than 20 years, the Joint European Torus (JET) has carried out new D-T experiments with the aim of exploring some of the unique characteristics expected in future fusion reactors, such as the presence of highly energetic ions in low plasma rotation conditions. A new stable, high confinement and impurity-free D-T regime, with reduction of energy losses with respect to D, has been found. Multiscale physics mechanisms critically determine the thermal confinement. These crucial achievements importantly contribute to the establishment of fusion energy generation as an alternative to fossil fuels.
Authors
- D. Zarzoso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7220-8092)
- M. Dreval (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0482-0981)
- J. Varela (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6114-0539)
- C. F. Maggi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7208-2613)
- Y. Kazakov (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6316-5441)
- J. Candy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3884-6485)
- S. Mazzi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6491-8759)
- Ž. Štancar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9608-280X)
- J. García (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0900-5564)
- E.R. Solano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4815-3407)
- E. A. Belli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7947-2841)
- J. Ongena (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7456-4739)
- E. de la Luna (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5420-0126)
- J. Mailloux (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4265-5480)
- J. Ruiz Ruiz
- R. Coelho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1127-1661)
- S. E. Sharapov (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7006-4876)
- P. J. Bonofiglo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5057-7383)
- M. Poradziński (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1858-4046)
- M. Baruzzo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7853-7280)
Institutions
- National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (IT)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- University of Lisbon (PT)
- Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (FR)
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (US)
- Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology (UA)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- CEA Cadarache (FR)
- Centrale Méditerranée (FR)
- United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (GB)
- Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (ES)
- General Atomics (United States) (US)
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2024-09-08
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-52182-z
- Citations
- 33
- Primary Topic
- Magnetic confinement fusion research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 21.77
Funders
- U.S. Department of Energy
- Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades
- EUROfusion
- European Commission
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Office of Science
- Euratom Research and Training Programme
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- European Regional Development Fund
- Agencia Estatal de Investigación