Wendelstein 7-X, Nuclear fusion research facility in Greifswald, Germany
Wendelstein 7-X is a nuclear fusion research facility in Greifswald near the Baltic coast and part of the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics. The structure consists of a twisted-ring vacuum chamber surrounded by dozens of heavy magnet coils spanning roughly 16 meters (about 52 feet) in diameter.
Construction began in 1995 to develop a new approach for nuclear fusion that avoids energy stability problems found in other reactor types. First plasma discharges occurred in December 2015 after two decades of assembly and testing work.
The name combines Wendelstein mountain near Munich with a mathematical surface and honors both the earlier research site and the spiral geometry of this project. Visitors on guided tours see massive magnet coils behind protective shields and diagnostic equipment used to measure plasma properties during experiments.
Tours must be booked in advance and take place only on certain days because ongoing experiments limit access. The tour lasts roughly two hours and covers explanations of how the facility works as well as visits to control rooms and technical areas.
In 2018 researchers reached ion temperatures of 40 million degrees Celsius, mimicking conditions inside stars. This temperature is far above the surface of the sun and shows the twisted magnetic field can actually confine plasma long enough.
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