DETROIT – Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) announced they found a way to build powerful magnets much smaller than ever before, a press statement states.

The new innovation could help in the development of tokamak reactors, unlocking the potential of nuclear fusion that powers the sun and other stars.

The scientists found a new method for building high-temperature superconducting magnets that are made of material that conducts electricity with practically no resistance at temperatures warmer than before. The smaller magnets will more easily fit inside spherical tokamaks, which are being investigated as a potential alternative to the more conventional doughnut-shaped tokamaks.

Fusion scientists and engineers use these incredibly powerful magnets to control and maintain the hot plasma required for the nuclear fusion reaction to take place. Crucially, the new magnets could be placed separately from other machinery in the spherical tokamak’s central cavity. This means scientists would be able to repair them without having to dismantle any other parts of the tokamak.

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