Nuked 
Hello, dear readers! Let’s dive into the exciting world of fusion power, where energy meets innovation!
Recently, Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) celebrated a significant achievement with the installation of a key component for their Sparc demonstration reactor. This impressive 24-foot wide and 75-ton stainless steel circle is a crucial part of the tokamak, the heart of the reactor that aims to generate more power than it consumes.
Manufactured in Italy, the cryostat base traveled halfway across the world to CFS’s facility in Devens, Massachusetts. Alex Creely, the director of tokamak operations, expressed enthusiasm, noting that this installation marks the transition to a new stage of the project.
The journey in fusion power is shared by multiple startups, all hoping to harness gigawatts of pollution-free electricity from hydrogen fuel derived from seawater. With increasing demand from electric vehicles and data centers, the technology is seen as vital for meeting future energy needs.
Backed by prominent investors, including Bill Gates, CFS is considered one of the leading contenders to determine the commercial viability of fusion power. The company’s first commercial-scale reactor will be strategically located outside Richmond, Virginia, with expectations to go online by 2027.
CFS’s ambition is to become the first tokamak to produce more energy than it consumes. This goal is on the heels of significant milestones achieved by the Department of Energy’s National Ignition Facility.
The operation involves advanced technology, utilizing superconducting magnets to create powerful magnetic fields necessary for confining and compressing plasma at extremes of 100 million degrees Celsius. The cryostat plays a vital role in maintaining these frigid conditions, functioning almost like a thermos.
After some careful unboxing and inspection of the cryostat base, it was finally set in place, marking a major step forward in the construction of this groundbreaking fusion reactor.
The work at CFS continues with the assembly of additional major components, aiming for a complete configuration by early next year. With a careful commissioning process ahead, the team is excited about the progress that is being made!
