Articles tagged with "energy-research"
US lab tests passive nuclear safety systems against insider threats
Engineers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory are proactively testing how insider threats could compromise passive safety systems in next-generation nuclear reactors before these designs are finalized and licensed. Passive safety systems, which rely on natural physical processes rather than active controls, are widely used and trusted in current reactors, but future designs like small modular reactors depend even more heavily on them. Argonne’s research focuses on realistic sabotage scenarios involving insiders with authorized access, such as leaving access points open or blocking cooling pathways, to identify vulnerabilities that could cause system failures. Using the Natural Convection Shutdown Heat Removal Test Facility, Argonne and collaborating national labs have simulated these sabotage scenarios to observe system responses under stress. Their findings, compiled in a report for the International Atomic Energy Agency, confirm that while multiple layers of protection—such as controlled access, alarms, and redundancy—make successful sabotage difficult, some vulnerabilities remain and should be addressed early in the design process. The goal is to guide reactor developers in strengthening
energynuclear-energypassive-safety-systemsreactor-safetyadvanced-nuclear-reactorsenergy-researchnuclear-securityUS fusion facility to test powerful materials under extreme heat flux
The Tennessee Valley Authority’s Bull Run Energy Complex in Tennessee is preparing to host a new high-heat flux (HHF) testing facility, a collaborative project involving the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Type One Energy, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT). Scheduled for completion by the end of 2027, the facility will simulate the extreme heat flux conditions found in fusion reactors—targeting steady-state heat loads exceeding 10 megawatts per square meter—to test plasma-facing components (PFCs) that must endure intense operational stresses. This will be the second such facility in the U.S. and the most powerful, uniquely featuring pressurized helium gas cooling, which is favored in several domestic fusion reactor designs due to helium’s chemical stability under fusion conditions. The Bull Run site, already home to Type One Energy’s Infinity One stellarator testbed, is envisioned as a fusion development campus integrating research from ORNL, UT, and industry partners. ORNL
energyfusion-energyhigh-heat-flux-testingmaterials-sciencefusion-reactorsthermal-managementenergy-researchIsraeli fusion startup nT-Tao fires first plasma toward 20 MW goal
Israeli energy startup nT-Tao has achieved a key milestone by successfully firing its first plasma pulses with the C3 prototype, advancing its fusion reactor development just two months after assembly began. Building on the previous C2-A campaign—which reached plasma temperatures around 100 eV—the C3 system serves as a testbed for a compact, modular fusion reactor design using proprietary magnetic-confinement and pulsed-power technology aimed at high-density plasma regimes. The current iteration incorporates refinements in magnets, pulsed power systems, diagnostics, and integration to improve plasma performance, with goals to achieve higher temperatures and longer confinement times. Data from C3 will validate simulations and guide future prototype development within an iterative 12-month engineering cycle. In parallel, nT-Tao and Ben-Gurion University researchers published a study on a nonlinear control system for pulsed-power resonant inverters, addressing the challenge of rapidly changing electrical loads during plasma formation. Their control architecture combines feedback linearization with a linear regulator to maintain
energyfusion-energyplasma-physicspulsed-power-systemsmagnetic-confinementmodular-fusion-reactorenergy-researchUK's fusion machine starts scientific campaign to double heating power
The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has launched the fifth scientific campaign of its flagship fusion machine, the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST) Upgrade, marking a significant step toward developing the UK’s first fusion power plant. Over the next six months, more than 200 researchers from over 40 global institutions will conduct upwards of 950 plasma pulses to deepen understanding of fusion processes within the tokamak reactor. The campaign focuses on four key areas: high-pressure fusion plasma, energy control and stability, divertor design improvements, and plasma behavior prediction tools. MAST Upgrade is set to receive substantial enhancements, including the installation of an Electron Bernstein Wave heating system and two additional neutral beam injectors, which together will double its heating power. These upgrades aim to replicate technologies planned for the STEP Fusion program, the UK’s prototype fusion power plant project. The campaign builds on previous successes, such as the world-first plasma control using 3D magnetic coils during the fourth campaign, underscoring
energynuclear-fusionfusion-power-plantplasma-physicstokamak-reactorenergy-researchUK-Atomic-Energy-AuthorityPhotos: Stunning 2025 images reveal world’s biggest nuclear fusion reactor in action
The article highlights the visually captivating and technically impressive imagery of the ITER nuclear fusion reactor construction site in 2025. Photographs from the ITER Communication team and the ITER Photo Group showcase the scale and complexity of the project, capturing everything from massive component handling to intricate details like insulation and reflections. The images emphasize the blend of advanced engineering and aesthetic appeal, with drone shots and ground-level perspectives revealing the reactor’s assembly process and the harmony of its structural geometry. Key milestones in 2025 include the installation of the third vacuum vessel module in the tokamak pit, illustrating ongoing progress in ITER’s assembly. The article also profiles contributors such as Emmanuel Riche, a drone photography pioneer, and Kevin Ballant, founder of the ITER Photo Group, who transitioned from hobbyist to key documentarian. Overall, the collection of photos serves to inspire and inform, offering a unique artistic lens on one of the world’s largest and most ambitious nuclear fusion projects.
energynuclear-fusionITERtokamakenergy-researchfusion-reactorclean-energyWorld’s largest fusion device solves key plasma heat loss challenge
Researchers at Japan’s National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS) have solved a longstanding puzzle in fusion reactor physics regarding the rapid heat loss from the plasma core to the edge, which occurs much faster than conventional diffusion theory predicts. Using the Large Helical Device (LHD), the team discovered that plasma turbulence operates in two modes: a slow, local “running game” and a fast, long-range “passing game.” The latter, described as a mediator turbulence, enables heat to leap across distant regions of the reactor almost instantly—within a ten-thousandth of a second—bypassing the space in between and undermining magnetic confinement. To capture this rapid phenomenon, the researchers applied short, intense heating pulses and employed high-precision diagnostics capable of microsecond resolution. Their data confirmed that shorter heating pulses amplify the mediator turbulence, accelerating heat loss. This insight transforms the understanding of plasma turbulence from a chaotic process to a complex system with dual roles in heat transport. Crucially, identifying this mediator
energyfusion-energyplasma-physicsturbulence-controlmagnetic-confinementLarge-Helical-Deviceenergy-researchUS scientists simulate advanced quantum chip using nearly 7,000 GPUs
A team of researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley, has successfully simulated a next-generation quantum microchip using nearly 7,200 NVIDIA GPUs on the Perlmutter supercomputer at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center. This full-scale physical simulation, conducted over 24 hours, represents a significant advancement in quantum hardware design by enabling scientists to predict chip performance, identify potential issues, and reduce errors before fabrication. The simulation utilized the exascale modeling tool ARTEMIS to capture detailed electromagnetic wave propagation and interactions within the chip, which measures just 10 millimeters square and 0.3 millimeters thick with micron-scale features. The simulation was unprecedented in scale and complexity, discretizing the chip into 11 billion grid cells and running over a million time steps in seven hours, allowing testing of multiple circuit configurations daily. Unlike typical simulations, this approach modeled the chip’s material composition, wiring, resonator geometry, and electromagnetic interactions in full-wave physical detail, including
quantum-computingquantum-chipGPU-simulationsupercomputingadvanced-materialsmicroelectronicsenergy-researchUK's Tokamak Energy reveals high-speed color details of plasma behavior
UK-based fusion company Tokamak Energy has unveiled the first high-speed color footage capturing plasma behavior inside its ST40 spherical tokamak, marking a significant advancement in visualizing fusion processes. Using a camera that records at 16,000 frames per second, researchers observed how deuterium gas fuels the plasma, visible as a bright pink glow, and how lithium granules interact with the plasma. The lithium initially emits a crimson-red light in the cooler outer plasma regions and then glows greenish-yellow as it ionizes in the hotter core, tracing magnetic field lines that confine the plasma. This visual data complements spectroscopy measurements and enhances understanding of plasma fueling and control at temperatures of tens of millions of degrees. These experiments are part of a $52 million upgrade program called LEAPS (Lithium Evaporations to Advance PFCs in ST40), conducted in partnership with the US Department of Energy and the UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The program aims to apply lithium coatings to plasma
energyfusion-energyplasma-behaviorlithium-coatingstokamakclean-energyenergy-researchWorld's largest fusion reactor gets critical 4-ton tool from US lab
The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) in the United States is providing a critical diagnostic tool—a four-ton X-ray imaging crystal spectrometer (XICS)—for Japan’s JT-60SA, the world’s largest nuclear fusion reactor set to begin operations in 2026. This collaboration, involving PPPL, Japan’s National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), and Europe’s Fusion for Energy (F4E), marks one of the first instances of US equipment being installed directly in JT-60SA. The XICS instrument will measure X-rays emitted from the plasma within the reactor, providing highly accurate data on plasma temperature, speed, and particle presence, which are essential for controlling the plasma and maintaining reactor stability. JT-60SA, a superconducting tokamak, will be the most powerful fusion device until the ITER facility in France becomes operational, offering a unique opportunity to explore plasma behaviors at unprecedented power densities. The precise measurements from the XICS will help scientists understand new plasma
energyfusion-reactorplasma-controlX-ray-imaging-crystal-spectrometernuclear-fusiontokamakenergy-researchBreaking Rules but Not Waves: Plasmons in Correlated Materials - CleanTechnica
A recent study led by researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and collaborators worldwide has revealed that hybrid plasmon-polaritons (HPPs)—waves formed by the coupling of plasmons and light—can persist for an exceptionally long time in strongly correlated materials known as "bad" metals. These materials, characterized by intense electron interactions and incoherent electron motion, were previously thought to be unfavorable for sustaining such collective charge waves. The team focused on molybdenum dichloride dioxide (MoOCl2), a bad metal where electron behavior is chaotic, and discovered that HPPs remain stable and propagate effectively even at room temperature, surviving for up to 10 oscillation cycles—longer than in any known crystal. This finding challenges conventional understanding by demonstrating that coherent plasmonic excitations can exist in systems with high resistance and electron incoherence. The research utilized advanced imaging techniques and theoretical models to explain the dielectric response responsible for plasmon creation and longevity. Unlike
materialsplasmonicscorrelated-materialsmolybdenum-dichloride-dioxidehybrid-plasmon-polaritonselectronic-propertiesenergy-researchSmall nuclear reactor to unleash 1,832°F heat in US for future power
NuCube Energy, a California-based company, is collaborating with the Utah San Rafael Energy Research Center (USREL) to test its next-generation small nuclear microreactor technology. This innovative reactor can deliver heat exceeding 1,832°F (1,000°C), enabling high-temperature industrial applications and off-grid power generation. The technology is notable for producing cost-competitive electricity that can rival natural gas, and it can operate independently from existing power grids, which is particularly beneficial for rural and industrial areas. The reactor design incorporates TRISO fuel and heat pipe technology to minimize moving parts, enhancing safety and reliability. Housed within a stainless-steel compartment, the microreactors also streamline permitting processes. The collaboration with USREL, known for demonstrating advanced power generation technologies, aims to advance NuCube’s modular reactors toward commercialization. This partnership is expected to support clean, affordable, and reliable energy solutions while facilitating integration with chemical and energy conversion processes, potentially transforming energy access in states like Utah.
energynuclear-reactormicroreactorclean-energyhigh-temperature-heatmodular-reactorsenergy-research