Nuclear Fusion Record smashed as German Scientists take 'a significant step forward' to near-limitless Clean Energy.
A recently concluded experimental campaign at the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in Greifswald, Germany has smashed previous fusion records and set a new benchmark for reactor performances.
[n∙T∙𝜏 = 3 × 1021 m-3 keV s]
![Nuclear fusion offers a tantalizing promise of unlimited clean energy. By smashing together isotopes [or different versions] of hydrogen at incredibly high temperatures, the resulting superheated plasma of electrons and ions fuses into heavier atoms, releasing a phenomenal amount of energy in the process.
However, while this fusion reaction is self-sustaining under the extraordinary temperatures and pressures within stars, recreating these conditions on Earth is a huge technical challenge — and current reactor concepts still consume more energy than they are able to produce.
Most notably, the international team revealed that the reactor had reached a new record high triple product — a key metric for the success of fusion power generators. The triple product is a combination of the density of particles in the plasma, the temperature required for these particles to fuse, and the energy confinement time [a measure of how well the thermal energy is held by the system]. A certain minimum value called the Lawson criterion marks the point at which the reaction produces more energy than it uses and becomes self-sustaining, so a higher triple product indicates a more efficient reaction.
"The new record is a tremendous achievement by the international team," said Thomas Klinger, Head of Operations at Wendelstein 7-X. "Elevating the triple product to tokamak levels during long plasma pulses marks another important milestone on the way toward a power-plant-capable stellarator."](https://nerdculture.de/system/media_attachments/files/114/665/107/452/190/535/original/38407ddd5f50586c.jpeg "Nuclear fusion offers a tantalizing promise of unlimited clean energy. By smashing together isotopes [or different versions] of hydrogen at incredibly high temperatures, the resulting superheated plasma of electrons and ions fuses into heavier atoms, releasing a phenomenal amount of energy in the process.
However, while this fusion reaction is self-sustaining under the extraordinary temperatures and pressures within stars, recreating these conditions on Earth is a huge technical challenge — and current reactor concepts still consume more energy than they are able to produce.
Most notably, the international team revealed that the reactor had reached a new record high triple product — a key metric for the success of fusion power generators. The triple product is a combination of the density of particles in the plasma, the temperature required for these particles to fuse, and the energy confinement time [a measure of how well the thermal energy is held by the system]. A certain minimum value called the Lawson criterion marks the point at which the reaction produces more energy than it uses and becomes self-sustaining, so a higher triple product indicates a more efficient reaction.
\"The new record is a tremendous achievement by the international team,\" said Thomas Klinger, Head of Operations at Wendelstein 7-X. \"Elevating the triple product to tokamak levels during long plasma pulses marks another important milestone on the way toward a power-plant-capable stellarator.\"")
![[ImageSource: MPI for Plasma Physics, Jan Hosan]
View into the Wendelstein 7-X experimental hall at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in Greifswald, Germany.
In the OP 2.3 campaign, which ended on May 22, the international W7-X team achieved a new world record for the triple product in long plasma discharges: on this last day, they sustained a new peak value of this key fusion parameter for 43 seconds. Wendelstein 7-X thus surpassed the best performances of fusion devices of the tokamak type for longer plasma durations.
Tokamaks also rely on magnetic confinement but are much better studied due to their simpler design. The highest values for the triple product were achieved by the Japanese Tokamak JT60U [decommissioned in 2008] and the European Tokamak facility JET in Great Britain [decommissioned in 2023].
With short plasma durations of just a few seconds, they remain the clear front-runners. In terms of longer plasma durations, which are important for a future power plant, Wendelstein 7-X is now ahead, even though JET had three times the plasma volume. Size makes it much easier to achieve high temperatures in fusion reactors.
In the record-breaking experiment, the plasma temperature was raised to over 20 million degrees Celsius, reaching a peak of 30 million degrees. Measurements to calculate the triple product were provided, among others, by Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, which operates an X-ray spectrometer for ion temperature diagnostics at W7-X.](https://nerdculture.de/system/media_attachments/files/114/665/108/255/246/976/original/aa5d8166fb38db54.jpeg "[ImageSource: MPI for Plasma Physics, Jan Hosan]
View into the Wendelstein 7-X experimental hall at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in Greifswald, Germany.
In the OP 2.3 campaign, which ended on May 22, the international W7-X team achieved a new world record for the triple product in long plasma discharges: on this last day, they sustained a new peak value of this key fusion parameter for 43 seconds. Wendelstein 7-X thus surpassed the best performances of fusion devices of the tokamak type for longer plasma durations.
Tokamaks also rely on magnetic confinement but are much better studied due to their simpler design. The highest values for the triple product were achieved by the Japanese Tokamak JT60U [decommissioned in 2008] and the European Tokamak facility JET in Great Britain [decommissioned in 2023].
With short plasma durations of just a few seconds, they remain the clear front-runners. In terms of longer plasma durations, which are important for a future power plant, Wendelstein 7-X is now ahead, even though JET had three times the plasma volume. Size makes it much easier to achieve high temperatures in fusion reactors.
In the record-breaking experiment, the plasma temperature was raised to over 20 million degrees Celsius, reaching a peak of 30 million degrees. Measurements to calculate the triple product were provided, among others, by Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, which operates an X-ray spectrometer for ion temperature diagnostics at W7-X.")
![[ImageSource: MPI for Plasma Physics, Dinklage et al (to be published) / X. Litaudon et al 2024 Nucl. Fusion 64 015001]
“In a future fusion power plant, a plasma with a high triple product (y-axis, logarithmic scale) must be maintained for long periods (x-axis). Previous fusion experiments only achieved high values for plasma durations of a very few seconds. On May 22, 2025, Wendelstein 7-X achieved the world record for plasma times of more than 30 seconds with a high fusion product. In this OP2.3 experiment campaign, further best values were achievedfor plasma durations between 30 and 40 seconds. Tokamaks remain the record holders for short plasma times…”
During the OP 2.3 experimental campaign, Wendelstein 7-X achieved two further milestones:
1. Energy turnover was increased to 1.8 gigajoules [plasma duration: 360 seconds]. The previous record from February 2023 was 1.3 gigajoules. Energy turnover is calculated as the product of injected heating power and plasma duration.
2. Plasma pressure relative to magnetic pressure reached 3% for the first time across the full plasma volume. In a dedicated experiment series, the magnetic field was deliberately reduced to about 70%, lowering magnetic pressure and allowing plasma pressure to rise.
This ratio is a key parameter for extrapolating to a fusion power plant, where 4–5% across the volume will be needed. The new record value was accompanied by a peak ion temperature of around 40 million degrees Celsius.](https://nerdculture.de/system/media_attachments/files/114/665/108/864/124/761/original/a9d8be7e9c25930c.jpeg "[ImageSource: MPI for Plasma Physics, Dinklage et al (to be published) / X. Litaudon et al 2024 Nucl. Fusion 64 015001]
“In a future fusion power plant, a plasma with a high triple product (y-axis, logarithmic scale) must be maintained for long periods (x-axis). Previous fusion experiments only achieved high values for plasma durations of a very few seconds. On May 22, 2025, Wendelstein 7-X achieved the world record for plasma times of more than 30 seconds with a high fusion product. In this OP2.3 experiment campaign, further best values were achievedfor plasma durations between 30 and 40 seconds. Tokamaks remain the record holders for short plasma times…”
During the OP 2.3 experimental campaign, Wendelstein 7-X achieved two further milestones:
1. Energy turnover was increased to 1.8 gigajoules [plasma duration: 360 seconds]. The previous record from February 2023 was 1.3 gigajoules. Energy turnover is calculated as the product of injected heating power and plasma duration.
2. Plasma pressure relative to magnetic pressure reached 3% for the first time across the full plasma volume. In a dedicated experiment series, the magnetic field was deliberately reduced to about 70%, lowering magnetic pressure and allowing plasma pressure to rise.
This ratio is a key parameter for extrapolating to a fusion power plant, where 4–5% across the volume will be needed. The new record value was accompanied by a peak ion temperature of around 40 million degrees Celsius.")
Kernfusion: Neuer Rekord für Wendelstein 7-X. Weltweit leistungsstärkster Stellarator erreicht neuen Bestwert beim Tripelprodukt. #Kernfusion #fusion #Wendelstein7X #Stellarator #Fusionsreaktor
https://www.scinexx.de/news/physik/kernfusion-neuer-rekord-fuer-wendelstein-7-x/
#Zoomposium with Prof. Dr. #Thomas #Klinger: “The sun on earth - #nuclearfusion as an #energy source”
This time we talk with Thomas Klinger, who has been a “Scientific Member” of the #MaxPlanckSociety since 2001 and is Director of the “#Stellarator #Dynamics and #Transport” division at the Institute for #PlasmaPhysics in Greifswald. There he heads the highly successful #Wendelstein7X project.
More at: https://philosophies.de/index.php/2024/04/06/kernfusion-als-energiequelle/
#Zoomposium mit Prof. Dr. #Thomas #Klinger: „Die Sonne auf Erden - #Kernfusion als #Energiequelle“
Diesmal sprechen wir über die Vor-/Nachteile der #Kernfusionstechnologie mit Thomas Klinger, der seit 2001 „Wissenschaftliches Mitglied“ der #MaxPlanckGesellschaft und Direktor des Bereiches „#Stellarator #Dynamik und -Transport“ am Institut für #Plasmaphysik in Greifswald ist. Dort leitet er das sehr erfolgreiche Projekt #Wendelstein7X.
Mehr auf: https://philosophies.de/index.php/2024/04/06/kernfusion-als-energiequelle/
Die EU soll bis 2050 klimaneutral werden — und die Energieforschung soll dabei helfen. Im Fokus stehen unter anderem neue saubere Energiequellen und nachhaltige Speichermethoden.
#Batterieindustrie #Batterien #EU #Kernfusion #MaxPlanckGesellschaft #ProximaFusion #Ungarn #Wendelstein7X #Forschungsquartett
I am looking for a post-doc to work with me on #machinelearning application for thermonuclear fusion plasmas. We want to use generative AI models to fill the gaps in existing image datasets and to help able to improve real-time control mechanisms. Sounds exciting? Apply! https://www.ipp.mpg.de/job-49bb2918863ec0a96b217258beca4dcf #Wendelstein7X
Hi I am looking for a post-doc to work in magnetic fusion on #machinelearning on #Wendelstein7X. If you're interested get in touch with me. More details here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/marcin-jakubowski-84b36034_machinelearning-wendelstein7x-activity-7184473480149540865-8jpO?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
We start the Christmas season in Greifswald with a glowing stellarator coil. 
#fusion #stellarator #Wendelstein7X
This is part of the control room during the operation of experimental #fusion reactor #Wendelstein7X. You see mostly screens used by so called “diagnosticians”. These are people which either measure plasma parameters or change the plasma properties, e.g. plasma density or temperature with their devices. Typically you need a couple dozens of clever physicists, engineers and technicians to operate an experimental reactor.
Last week we reached an important milestone for fusion research at #Wendelstein7X @plasmaphysik
More than 8 minutes long pulse with the energy turnover of 1.3 GJ.
youtube.com/watch?v=GTmje2qsVg...
This time-lapse video of the eight minutes was taken with an infrared camera inside Wendelstein 7-X's vacuum vessel. It does NOT show the plasma itself, but the temperature distribution at the water-cooled inner wall of the reactor.
