The world's largest fusion reactor, ITER, assembled in France, is facing serious delays and budget increases. Despite the completion of construction, the launch has been postponed to 2039, which is causing concern among scientists and project participants.
ITER fusion reactor
Launch delay
The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the largest of its kind, has been completed, but its launch has been delayed for a decade and a half. It was initially planned that the reactor, assembled in France, would begin operation in 2020. However, this date has now moved to 2039.
Opinion of the project management
Pietro Barabaschi, who leads the ITER project, expressed concern about the delay. He stressed that humanity cannot wait for nuclear fusion to solve current problems, and called such an approach unreasonable.
International cooperation and technical specifications
35 countries participated in the creation of ITER, including all EU states, Switzerland, Great Britain, China, India and the USA. The reactor is equipped with a super-powerful magnet capable of generating a magnetic field 280,000 times stronger than Earth's.
Financial aspects
The ITER project budget has significantly exceeded initial estimates. Instead of the planned $5 billion, costs reached $28 billion, of which $22 billion have already been spent and $5 billion has been reserved for unforeseen expenses. It was financial difficulties that became the main reason for the 15-year delay in the launch.
History and operating principle of thermonuclear fusion
Scientists have been working for more than seven decades to harness the energy of nuclear fusion, the process that powers stars. This method involves the fusion of hydrogen atoms to form helium at extremely high pressure and temperature, which allows energy to be extracted from the substance without harming the environment.
Tokamak and its features
Tokamak, the most common type of fusion reactor, functions by heating plasma to ultra-high temperatures. The plasma is held in the reactor chamber by powerful magnetic fields. To operate successfully, such reactors require temperatures many times higher than the sun, due to the need to compensate for the low pressure compared to the cores of stars. The main difficulty is to contain the turbulent superheated plasma long enough for the fusion reaction to occur. Although the first tokamak was created in 1958, none of them have yet been able to produce more energy than they consume.
Glossary
- ITER - International Experimental Thermonuclear Reactor, the largest project in the field of fusion energy.
- Tokamak is a type of installation for magnetically confining plasma in order to achieve the conditions necessary for controlled thermonuclear fusion to occur.
- Plasma is an ionized gas, one of the four fundamental states of matter.
- Pietro Barabaschi is the General Director of the ITER project.
- The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European states.
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Answers to questions
When is the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) scheduled to launch?
What is the cost of the ITER project?
Which countries are participating in the ITER project?
What is a tokamak and how does it work?
What are the prospects for the use of thermonuclear fusion?
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Discussion of the topic – ITER: Grand thermonuclear project worth $28 billion delayed for 15 years
The world's largest fusion reactor, ITER, costing $28 billion, has been completed but its launch has been delayed until 2039. The project, originally scheduled to launch in 2020, has faced serious delays, raising questions about the future of fusion power.
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Amelie
Wow, $28 billion for a reactor! 🤯 What if this money was invested in solar energy? Maybe the problem of clean energy would have been solved long ago.
Giovanni
Amelie, solar energy is great, but nuclear fusion is the future! Imagine: unlimited pure energy, like the stars. Is it worth the wait? Definitely yes! 🌟
Hans
I agree with Giovanni. ITER is an investment in the future. Yes, the deadlines have moved, but the technology is revolutionary. Think of a magnet 280,000 times more powerful than the earth's field! This is a breakthrough in science! 🧲🔬
Sophie
And I am impressed by international cooperation! 35 countries are working together on such a complex project. This shows that we can unite to solve global problems. 🌍🤝
Igor
Bah! Another expensive toy for scientists. 28 billion and wait another 15 years? During this time, the whole world will switch to solar panels. We found something to spend money on!
Maria
Igor, I understand your skepticism, but let's take a broader view. ITER is not just a reactor, it is a platform for innovation. How many new technologies will appear in the process of its creation? This is an investment in progress! 💡🚀
Pierre
Guys, did you know that the temperature in the reactor will be higher than in the Sun? This is incredible! Imagine we are creating a small star on Earth. Yes, it is long and expensive, but the result can change the world! 🌞🔥
Amelie
Pierre, you're right! This is truly impressive. Maybe we are too quick to criticize? After all, Rome wasn't built in a day. Let's give scientists a chance - who knows, maybe in 15 years we will live in a completely different world of energy! ⚡️🔮