Advancements in the Levitated Dipole Reactor at OpenStar Technologies

OpenStar Technologies, a fusion startup based in Wellington, New Zealand, is progressing the research and development of the levitated dipole reactor (LDR). This concept was originally introduced by A. Hasegawa and investigated by the joint Columbia-MIT Levitated Dipole Experiment group (LDX). Distinguished from tokamaks and stellarators, LDRs present certain superior plasma performance characteristics, albeit with significant engineering hurdles associated with maintaining a levitated high-temperature superconducting magnet within the reactor core. This presentation introduces the fundamental plasma physics of LDRs, including aspects such as plasma stability, turbulent pinch, high beta, and high τE/τp ratio. It further explores the unanswered questions pertaining to dipole plasmas. An overview of OpenStar Technologies' design for an LDR is presented, along with an experimental plan aimed at addressing the unresolved aspects of LDR performance.

 

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