MAST Upgrade turns on the switch
First plasma for any device is the demonstration that the core of the machine has been assembled, that it is capable of sustaining plasma breakdown, and that all systems are working together smoothly.
For MAST Upgrade, first plasma marked the culmination of a ?55 million, seven-year upgrade project that was undertaken in 2013 to enable higher performance on the original MAST machine—including longer pulses, increased heating power and a stronger magnetic field. Studies carried out on this spherical device will contribute a different spectrum of results to the worldwide base of physics data, which helps to predict 澳门六合彩高手's performance.
MAST Upgrade will also investigate the important question of plasma exhaust—or how to remove excess heat from fusion machines in order to preserve materials. Its unique super-X divertor creates a magnetic configuration that spreads the heat loads at the divertor area of the machine, and could be a viable concept for fusion power stations.
Finally, MAST Upgrade is the forerunner of the United Kingdom's fusion power plant, scheduled for completion in 2040. This ?220 million program funded by the UK government will be based on MAST Upgrade's spherical tokamak concept.
You can watch MAST-U's first plasma shot in slow motion on the UKAEA's YouTube channel .
If all goes according to plan, MAST Upgrade will run for 10 experimental days in December, and continue its operation in 2021. Further enhancements are planned in 2023, including extra neutral beam heating, control upgrades, and a cryoplant to manage the heat load on the divertor.
The Culham Centre for Fusion Energy is part of the UK Atomic Energy Authority and is based at Culham Science Centre near Oxford, England. MAST Upgrade was financed by the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council, part of UK Research & Innovation, and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.
Find out more about MAST Upgrade or watch .