MIT invented an inexpensive and compact nuclear fusion reactor and expected to put it into practical use within 10 years

There is a "saying" that nuclear fusion reactors will be completed in thirty years, which is said to be as vital as "Oil is exhausted in 40 years". Although it is a nuclear fusion reactor that is hard to complete, a new reactor that MIT scientists can put into practical use within 10 years "ARC"Was devised.

ARC: A compact, high-field, fusion nuclear science facility and demonstration power plant with demountable magnets
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0920379615302337

New design could finally help to bring fusion power closer to reality
http://phys.org/news/2015-08-fusion-power-closer-reality.html

Research teams such as Dr. D. G. White of MIT, et al., By controlling the plasma using a high magnetic field coil,Tokamak typeWe have devised a new type of "ARC" reactor which has greatly compacted the reactor. ARC is an acronym for 'affordable', 'robust' and 'compact'.


The ARC reactor has a coil that generates a high magnetic field by using REBa 2 Cu 3 Oy (REBCO) superconductor tape, and it is possible to cause nuclear fusion reaction within a reactor much smaller than conventional tokamak type reactors. The merit of compactness is thought not only to save costs by limiting the cost of constructing the system itself, but also to increase the degree of freedom of design and dramatically increase the development speed for practical application of a nuclear fusion reactor.

Also, "Coils made with newly developed superconducting tapes can produce ten times as much power as standard tokamak type fusion reactors because they can generate high magnetic field," ARC Development "Said the team's BN Solbom.

Mr. Sorubum of ARC development team with superconductor tape.


Also, since the ARC reactor has a cooling system that circulates a solid blanket surrounding the fusion chamber and replaces it with a liquid which can be easily replaced, it is difficult to replace the solid blanket which is exposed to harsh environments due to heat and is expensive to replace There is also the advantage that it can eliminate.

The ARC reactor is designed to generate 500 MW of fusion energy within a magnetic field of 3.3 m in radius, and the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor currently under construction in France "ITER"The ARC development team at MIT believes that ARC reactors with half the diameter size can achieve the same power with less cost and development time than with the ARC reactor.

Development of the ARC reactor is a stage to further refine the design and stuff the technical details and it is already entering the next step of collecting funds from government related organizations and individual investors, Future development trends are likely to pay attention to realize the nuclear fusion reactor which is the means within 10 years.