What is the ITER project in nuclear fusion research?

The ITER project is an international collaboration to build the world's largest experimental nuclear fusion reactor.

ITER stands for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, and it aims to demonstrate the feasibility of nuclear fusion as a large-scale and carbon-free source of energy. Nuclear fusion is the process that powers the sun and stars, where two light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a tremendous amount of energy. Unlike nuclear fission, which splits heavy atomic nuclei and is used in current nuclear power plants, fusion produces much less radioactive waste and has a virtually limitless fuel supply.

The ITER reactor is being constructed in southern France, and it involves 35 countries, including the European Union, the United States, Russia, China, India, Japan, and South Korea. The main component of ITER is a device called a tokamak, a doughnut-shaped chamber that uses powerful magnetic fields to contain and control the hot plasma, a state of matter where electrons are separated from their nuclei. The plasma must reach temperatures of about 150 million degrees Celsius, which is ten times hotter than the core of the sun, to enable the fusion reactions to occur.

One of the key goals of ITER is to produce 500 megawatts of fusion power from 50 megawatts of input power, achieving a tenfold energy gain. This would be a significant milestone, proving that fusion can produce more energy than it consumes. The project also aims to test the technologies and materials needed for future commercial fusion power plants.

Although ITER is still under construction and first plasma is expected in the mid-2020s, it represents a major step forward in the quest for clean and sustainable energy. If successful, it could pave the way for a new era of energy production, helping to address global energy needs and combat climate change.