Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), an MIT spinoff and developer of fusion energy technology, has successfully tested its Central Solenoid Model Coil (CSMC), a new electromagnet designed for its fusion power project SPARC. The test was conducted at MIT's Plasma Science & Fusion Center from August to October 2024.
The CSMC electromagnet achieved several key performance metrics: Generating a 5.7-tesla magnetic field (100,000x stronger than Earth's magnetic field), ramping electrical current up to 50,000 amps, and reaching a record stored energy of 3.7 megajoules for pulsed magnets. The magnet also features a novel fiber optic-based system to detect overheating events.
According to CFS, this achievement, combined with its previous Toroidal Field Model Coil test in 2021, validates the two types of high-temperature superconducting magnets needed for SPARC. The company aims to use the technology to demonstrate net fusion power by 2026 and deliver power to the grid through its first power plant, ARC, in the early 2030s.
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