Tokamak: An Experimental Fusion Reactor

A Tokamak is an experimental machine designed to harness the energy of nuclear fusion, the process that powers the sun.
It is a donut-shaped reactor in which a fusion plasma is created and confined by strong magnetic fields.
The Tokamak replicates the conditions required for nuclear fusion reactions to occur, similar to how the sun’s energy is produced.

Key Features of Tokamak

Fusion Plasma: In a Tokamak, a plasma (ionized gas consisting of deuterium and tritium) is heated to extremely high temperatures, allowing the hydrogen nuclei to fuse and release energy.
Magnetic Confinement: The plasma is confined by powerful magnetic fields in the shape of a torus (doughnut), ensuring that the plasma does not touch the reactor walls.
Artificial Sun: A Tokamak is often referred to as an "artificial Sun" because it replicates the fusion reactions that occur in the Sun, where hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium, releasing vast amounts of energy.

JET was the first device to achieve controlled fusion power. It demonstrated the viability of Tokamak-based fusion reactions and is a significant milestone in fusion research.

ITER is the largest Tokamak being developed with global collaboration.
It is designed to demonstrate that nuclear fusion can be used as a viable energy source.
Location: Currently under construction in France.
Partnership: ITER is a collaboration involving 27 European Union countries, plus China, Japan, India, Republic of Korea, Russia, and the US.
ITER-India: An integral part of the project, ITER-India, under the Institute for Plasma Research, is responsible for various key components such as Cryostat, In-wall Shielding, and other ITER packages.

China: China has developed the world’s first high-temperature superconducting Tokamak device, called HH70.
European Union and Japan: Inaugurated the JT-60SA, the world’s largest and most advanced Tokamak fusion reactor, aimed at achieving steady-state fusion.

India has developed its indigenous Tokamak, ADITYA, which is designed to explore plasma physics and fusion energy.
Additionally, India has built the semi-indigenous Steady State Superconducting Tokamak (SST-1), which focuses on the long-term sustainability of fusion energy production.

Fusion Power: The ultimate goal of Tokamaks is to provide a source of clean energy by producing fusion power, which generates no greenhouse gases or long-lived radioactive waste, unlike traditional fission reactors.
Global Collaboration: Projects like ITER highlight the importance of international scientific partnerships in addressing global energy challenges.
Energy Security: Successful fusion reactors could offer a sustainable, near-limitless energy source to meet the growing global energy demand.