topic Research

Wendelstein 7-X

Wendelstein 7-X is the worldwide largest and most advanced Stellarator experiment and is currently being constructed at the Greifswald Institute of the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) . It is to demonstrate that this type of facility is suited as a power plant. The core element of the facility is a coil system of 70 superconducting magnetic coils. Wendelstein 7-X will not yet produce energy-generating fusion plasma but will enable important conclusions regarding the power plant characteristics of Stellarators.

The particular feature of Stellarators is that the coils generating the magnetic field which contain the basically ring-shaped plasma (cf. picture: Stellarator - Schematic View), in their majority are not level but have a complicated geometry. The plasma also takes a similarly complex, twisted form with changing cross sections. The coil geometry generates a magnetic field which encloses the plasma completely. Corrective coils are not necessary nor are there interruptions of operation. Such interruptions of operation occur for example in Tokamak reactors when the continuously increasing current has reached its maximum in the corrective coils.

 
Picture: Stellarator - Schematic View

Wendelstein 7-X is a key experiment. It will test an optimized magnetic field which overcomes the difficulties of former concepts. The quality of the balance and inclusion of the plasma will be equal to that of the Tokamak. If it proves possible to confirm the calculated positive characteristics in the experiment, the demonstration power plant succeeding ITER could be a Stellarator.