US startup Zap Energy is advancing its nuclear fusion research with confirmation that its technology generates stable thermal plasmas. A new study published in Nuclear Fusion details how the company’s FuZE device has demonstrated highly isotopic neutron emissions, a critical indicator for scaling fusion energy production.
The stability and validation of nuclear fusion
The scientists analyzed the neutron isotropy in their fusion device through 433 plasma shots with identical configurations. The results showed that the emitted neutrons were practically uniform in all directions, which reinforces the stability of the plasma. This is important because an anisotropic emission could indicate non-scalable processes for net energy generation.
According to Uri Shumlak, chief scientist and co-founder of Zap Energy, this measurement simply shows that the plasma is in thermodynamic equilibrium, which can be translated into doubling its size without compromising its stability.
The concept of neutron isotropy is vital to nuclear fusion research. While thermal fusion produces neutrons with homogeneous energies, so-called beam-target fusion produces uneven emissions, suggesting instability in the plasma and limiting the viability of the technology for energy production.
This problem has historically plagued methods such as Z-clamping , an approach that dates back to the 1950s. Previous experiments in the UK with the ZETA device demonstrated that the majority of fusion came from beam-target reactions, invalidating its applicability for net power generation. Zap Energy seeks to change this narrative with its shear-flow-stabilized Z-clamp technology.
Senior scientist and lead author of the study, Rachel Ryan, emphasizes the importance of continuing to perform these measurements at higher energies to confirm that beam-target fusion does not impact performance.
As we continue to scale up, it is important for us to continue taking this measurement and verify whether beam-target fusion is contributing to our performances.
Ryan said.
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Source and photos: Zap Energy
