Recently we visited the MIT Plasma Fusion Center. The center is a research lab immersed in the study of plasma physics and nuclear fusion. The main feature of the Center is the Alcator C-Mod tokamak. The tokamak works to study the stability, heating, and transport properties of plasmas. With about 270 personnel, many being scientists, the center works as one of the leading plasma study centers in the world. The tokamak itself is unique because it of it’s small size. Despite the size, however it still gives a top performance.
The nucleus of an atom consists of protons, which have positive electrical charge, and neutrons which have no charge at all. Fusion reactions release surplus binding energy when light nuclei fuse, forming heavier nuclei. The Alcator C-Mod creates a process in which two deutrons fuse and create helium. The tokamak uses magnets to shape the plasma into a donut shape. This donut shape is called a torus. The tokamak’s high confining fields allows for researchers to experiment with plasmas that are more hot and dense than those in machines of similar size.
Overall, the experience was great. It was cool that the class got to see something that is very significant in terms of where the technology could advance humankind. The machinery was unlike anything I have ever seen before and the control room looked like something right out of NASA!
“MIT Plasma Science & Fusion Center: Researchalcatorinformation.” Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC). Web. 07 Mar. 2011. <http://www.psfc.mit.edu/research/alcator/intro/info.html#solution>.