US left with just one working fusion reactor — for now

[Marlin]

US left with just one working fusion reactor — for now


http://www.nature.com/news/us-left-with-just-one-working-fusion-reactor-for-now-1.20710

[Rennhack]

"Working".... uh huh....  I was employed at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) once...

[Marlin]

"Working".... uh huh....  I was employed at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) once...

I get your implication but working for an experimental device that is more for the collection of data than any practical use. Whether or not there will ever be an end product is another subject. So far fusion is an academic jobs program.

[GLW]

eleven months ago we were heralded with this triumph
(after 20 years of preparation, I suspect they may be embarrassed about how many euros were spent to advertise the numbers):

World's Largest Fusion Reactor is About to Switch On

http://gizmodo.com/worlds-most-insane-fusion-reactor-is-about-to-switch-on-1741199892

It took 19 full years to build W7-X. By the end of the month, approval to turn the reactor on is expected to come from Germany's nuclear regulators.

and after several experimental shots over a three month period the W7-X will be out of service again for a year and a half to install new tiles for next set of experiments, it should be up again in mid 2017.....

https://www.theengineer.co.uk/wendelstein-stellarator-begins-upgrades-after-fusion-success/

..."After exact measurement of the inside wall we therefore compare the wall dimensions with the tile measurements by a numerical method and modify, where necessary, the tiles with a computer-controlled milling cutter", explained Mathias Müller from IPP's Technical Services.The intricate nature of the upgrades means they won't be completed until mid-2017. W7-X should then be ready for plasma pulses of eight megawatts lasting ten seconds. If everything goes to plan, the graphite tiles will eventually be replaced with carbon-fibre-reinforced components that are also water-cooled. Over the course of the next four years, the stellarator will build towards heating powers of 10 megawatts, and continuous plasma firings of around 30 minutes. If achieved, this would mark a major leap forward in the development of commercially viable fusion energy....




I can hardly wait for the "too cheap to meter" chorus,...

[Chimera]

Preparing for "eight megawatts lasting for ten seconds" doesn't exactly sound like "working".

[Marlin]

Preparing for "eight megawatts lasting for ten seconds" doesn't exactly sound like "working".

It is a research reactor., working is data collection. Though to be fair and to repeat myself, so far it is a jobs program for scientists.

[SloGlo]

It is a research reactor., working is data collection. Though to be fair and to repeat myself, so far it is a jobs program for scientists.

hay! scientists gotta eat two!

[Chimera]

It is a research reactor., working is data collection. Though to be fair and to repeat myself, so far it is a jobs program for scientists.

I wasn't questioning you.  I did read your comment - and agreed with it.  I was questioning the title of the original article.

[Marlin]

I wasn't questioning you.  I did read your comment - and agreed with it.  I was questioning the title of the original article.

Journalist pyramiding, got to have eyes on the article, a little like "if it bleeds it leads".    But yes I was focused on the article, now I get your point.