Researchers produced more power from Nuclear fusion by using the Joint European Torus (JET) | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Researchers produced more power from Nuclear fusion by using the Joint European Torus (JET)

Posted 15 Feb 2024

Updated 22 Mar 2024

2 min read

  • JET is a large tokamak that was the first device to produce controlled fusion power with deuterium and tritium situated in the United Kingdom.
    • A tokamak is a machine that confines a plasma using magnetic fields in a donut shape
  • Nuclear fusion is the process by which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier one while releasing massive amounts of energy.

 

  • Advantages of Nuclear Fusion
    • No carbon emissions as the only by-products are small amounts of helium.
    • Abundant fuels such as Deuterium can be extracted from water.
    • Reliable power as they continue to produce energy for longer periods.

 

  • Challenges
    • High temperature required- as per IAEA, temperatures of over 100 million degrees Celsius are required to make deuterium and tritium fuse.
    • Neutron radiation during the reaction can travel tens of centi-meters out into the containment structure.

 

  • India Initiatives
    • Joined the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in 2005, a global initiative attempting to build the world’s largest tokamak reactor. 
    • The Institute of Plasma Research (IPR) is an autonomous institute under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) leads the Indian program in Fusion.

 

  • Tags :
  • Joint European Torus (JET)
  • Nuclear Fusion
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