India’s Artificial Sun: New Gyrotron Boosts Fusion Research

India has achieved another milestone in its mission to utilize the nuclear fusion energy technology, similar to the process that keeps the sun burning and glowing. The installation of 82.6 GHz 400 kW gyrotron has been made on the SST-1 Tokamak machine at the Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Gujarat. The installation will help in improving India’s capacity to heat and maintain plasma at extremely high temperatures for research purposes.

What Is India’s Artificial Sun?

The artificial Sun of India is not actually an artificial Sun but nuclear fusion studies in India. SST-1 is an experimental nuclear fusion reactor in India designed to create conditions of nuclear fusion energy reactions.

Nuclear fusion involves forcing together light atomic nuclei under extreme pressure and temperatures to generate huge amounts of energy in a reaction. Unlike the fission process where heavy atomic nuclei split to release energy, in fusion process light atomic nuclei are combined to release energy.

What Is SST-1?

SST-1 or Steady State Superconducting Tokamak is a type of experimental tokamak designed for nuclear fusion studies in India. Magnetic fields are used to confine the very hot plasma in the donut-shaped chamber.

It is important not only to produce very high temperatures but also maintain plasma stability and confinement for adequate periods of time.

Fusion experiments in India have been successful in achieving temperatures of more than 200 million°C, which is nearly 20 times hotter than the core of the sun.

What Is a Gyrotron?

Gyrotron is a very powerful machine that produces microwave energy at high frequencies.

The latest gyrotron is able to produce energy at the frequency of 82.6 GHz and power output of 400 kW. This machine will be used to produce energy that is necessary to maintain and heat the plasma at high temperatures.

The latest system is better than the previous one operating at the frequency of 42 GHz.

What makes the new gyrotron significant?

The major problem in fusion power technology involves sustaining the plasma that fuses. The gravitational pressure exerted by the Sun cannot be harnessed on Earth for keeping the plasma confined.

A strong magnetic field is used in tokamaks to avoid the ultra-hot plasma from contacting reactor walls.

The improved version of gyrotron will assist in the following,

• Creating extremely high temperatures in the plasma.
• Keeping the plasma hotter for a longer duration.
• Understanding plasma stability and confinement.
• Familiarizing with the steady state of fusion.
• Enhancing Indian capability in fusion studies.

Nuclear Fusion vs Sun

The fusion process on the Sun occurs spontaneously due to intense gravity and high temperatures in its core.

In case of experiments with nuclear fusion on Earth, suitable environment has to be artificially created. Tokamak uses magnets for plasma control while gyotrons help to heat up plasma.

That is why India’s artificial Sun is in fact an experimental fusion research project.

Can India’s Artificial Sun Produce Energy?

At this point, no. The improved SST-1 is just an experimental research installation but not a fusion power plant.

The new gyotron enhances India’s opportunities in researching hot plasma. Nevertheless, a lot of work should be done for achieving controllable fusion and producing electricity.

Why Is Fusion Energy Important?

Fusion energy is viewed as a promising future form of clean energy, as it utilizes plentiful fuel sources and generates much less radioactive waste compared to current fission nuclear reactors.

Nevertheless, transforming the study of fusion into an efficient means of generating energy is one of the greatest challenges in contemporary science and engineering.