Realta Fusion, a fusion energy startup, announced that in partnership with researchers from the University of Wisconsin, they successfully applied the highest ever steady magnetic field in a fusion plasma experiment. This marks a major milestone towards commercial fusion energy and a zero-carbon energy future.
Realta Fusion and University of Wisconsin researchers, operating the Wisconsin HTS Axisymmetric Mirror (WHAM) experiment, formed and held a plasma with a magnetic field strength of 17 Tesla on the confined plasma achieving a series of firsts for fusion energy. This demonstration was the first use of High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) magnets in a magnetic mirror configuration.
Magnetic Confinement Fusion (MCF) creates the conditions for fusion to occur by trapping a very energetic plasma in a "magnetic bottle". Utilizing very high-field magnets is a key technical milestone in enabling fusion energy systems. WHAM is the first device to integrate HTS magnets with multiple high power plasma heating systems and advanced plasma control. By combining these innovations, the WHAM experiment is expected to achieve new records in plasma density, paving the path to commercial fusion energy.
"This is the culmination of a huge effort from the WHAM team, and a significant step towards fusion energy power plants," said Professor Cary Forest of the University of Wisconsin and Chief Scientific Officer of Realta Fusion. "With the WHAM experiment we have brought together advances in superconductor technology and plasma physics, to demonstrate the potential of the compact magnetic mirror as a fusion energy system."
The magnetic mirror was one of the leading fusion energy concepts in the U.S. until the 1980s when existing technology was a limiting factor to controlling the magnetically confined plasma. Recent advances in superconducting technology – specifically HTS magnets – and plasma stability control encouraged Professor Forest, Dr. Jay Anderson (University of Wisconsin Senior Scientist & Realta Fusion co-founder), and their collaborators to revisit the magnetic mirror and design a much more compact and lower cost system than earlier experiments.
"Today's demonstration puts the compact magnetic mirror firmly back in the race towards commercial fusion energy. It's a giant leap forward for a concept that promises economically viable, zero-carbon heat and electricity," said Kieran Furlong, CEO of Realta Fusion.
Realta Fusion is a venture-backed private fusion company that spun out of the WHAM project in 2022 to develop a commercial fusion energy system based on the WHAM concept. Realta Fusion scientists worked alongside University of Wisconsin researchers to achieve today's milestone. Realta continues to fund and staff the ongoing WHAM project through a sponsored research agreement with the University of Wisconsin. The U.S. Department of Energy's ARPA-E division invested over $10 million in the project, along with significant contributions from the University of Wisconsin, WARF, Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) and other partners. CFS designed and manufactured the two record-breaking 17 T axisymmetric HTS magnets used in the experiment.
