What is a KSTAR Fusion Reactor? Know about the South Korean artificial sun here

Recently the Korean Fusion Reactor KSTAR also known as Korean artificial fusion has set a record of 20 seconds long operation at 100 million degrees. Find out all the details about the reactor here.

What is a KSTAR Fusion Reactor?

1. KSTAR, also known as the Korean Advanced Superconducting Reactor Tokamak Advanced Research, is a superconducting fusion device. Also called Korean artificial sun.
2. This reactor has set a new world record. It held the high-temperature plasma for 20 seconds and reached an ion temperature above 100 million degrees.
3. A similar reactor in China, France and many countries such as the USA, Russia, the European Union are participating in the nuclear fusion reaction.
4. It is a research center of the Korea Fusion Energy Institute, based at Seoul National University in collaboration with Columbia University in the United States.
5. Hydrogen isotopes are housed in the fusion device which converts them to plasma and keeps them at the same temperature in defiance.

In KSTAR

• Construction was completed on 14 September 2007
• The first plasma was produced in June 2008
• In 2016, KSTAR set a record by maintaining a high temperature of hydrogen plasma at 50 million degrees Celsius that was only broken by EAST China in July 2017.
• KSTAR is one of the world’s first research tokamaks featuring full-featured magnets. These would be particularly relevant for ITER.

KSTAR and ITER

1. KSTAR studies magnetic fusion at the National Fusion Institute in Daejeon, South Korea.
2. The ITER effort is separate from responsibility for all ITER countries and therefore the ITER fusion project.
3. The KSTAR Research Center also conducts various investigations such as ITER investigations aimed at resolving the fusion reaction.
4. KSTAR aims to maintain a 100-degree Celcius temperature for 300 seconds by 2025

What is tokamak?

1. It is a device that uses the highest form of the magnetic field to hold the hot molten plasma in the form of a torch or in the shape of an eye.
2. Tokamak is therefore a magnetic suppression device that is used to effect thermonuclear fusion reaction.
3. This was developed by the Soviet scientist named Igor Tamm and Andrei Sakharov

What is ITER?

1. The International Thermonuclear Experimental Megaproject is an international nuclear fusion study and also the largest magnetic protection plasma physics test in the world.
2. If KSTAR is successful, the project would be done in ITER as well.
3. The aim of ITER is to demonstrate the scientific and technological potential of fusion refraction for use in peaceful purposes.
4. This could lead to a solution to the electricity crisis for generations to come.
5. The ITER experimental tokamak reactor is located near Cadarache, France
6. It is designed to generate a plasma of 500 megawatts for nearly 20 minutes

Once ITER is successful it would be the largest fusion reactors. It would be followed by a DEMO that would also make electricity.

Researchers in Korea began operating KSTAR in August last year and continued with plasma activity until December 10, 2020. A total of 110 plasma tests were performed during that race, including high-performance plasma activity and plasma disruption mitigation. In case these trials are successful, a whole era of power issues would come to an end.

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