Commercializing Nuclear Fusion: The Vast Path Ignited by a Handful of Powder

A Major Breakthrough by Korea-US Joint Research Solving a Long-Standing Nuclear Fusion Challenge

• Understand why nuclear fusion energy is called the ’energy of dreams.'
• Grasp the core of the ’tungsten impurity’ problem, the biggest obstacle to commercializing nuclear fusion.
• Learn the principles and significance of the innovative real-time control technology developed by the Korea-US research team.

The Great Promise of the Artificial Sun

Humanity is knocking on the door of the ultimate flame in energy innovation, following fire, steam, and nuclear power — nuclear fusion, known as the ‘artificial sun.’ Nuclear fusion is the process by which light atoms combine and release enormous energy, the same principle that powers the sun’s light.

The reason this energy is called a ‘dream’ is clear. It produces almost no high-level radioactive waste, and its main fuel, deuterium, can be extracted infinitely from seawater, making it a virtually limitless and clean energy source.

However, replicating the sun’s environment on Earth is no easy feat. Scientists must heat fuel gas to over 100 million degrees Celsius, hotter than the sun’s core, to create a ‘plasma’ state. Plasma is the fourth state of matter where atomic nuclei and electrons are separated.

The Giant Prison: Tokamak and the Tungsten Paradox

How can we contain this fireball exceeding 100 million degrees? The solution is the donut-shaped ‘Tokamak’ machine. The Tokamak uses powerful magnetic fields to suspend and confine the hot plasma in midair, acting as a kind of ‘magnetic prison.’ South Korea’s ‘KSTAR’ is a world-class Tokamak boasting top-tier technology.

The core challenge in fusion research is not just reaching 100 million degrees but how long this state can be stably maintained. To achieve continuous operation, scientists built the Tokamak’s inner walls from ’tungsten,’ one of the metals with the highest melting points.

But this seemingly perfect shield carried a deadly flaw. High-energy plasma particles chip off tiny tungsten atoms from the walls, mixing them into the plasma as ‘impurities.’ Because tungsten is a heavy element, it radiates the plasma’s heat as light, rapidly cooling it down. This phenomenon is called ‘radiative cooling.’

If tungsten concentration in the plasma reaches just 0.003%, fusion efficiency plummets, and the reaction can even stop. The tungsten impurity problem was a matter of survival determining the success of fusion power.

Limits of the Existing Solution: The Shackles of ‘Boronization’

For decades, the technique of ‘boronization’ was used to solve this problem. It involves coating the Tokamak’s interior with a thin boron layer to protect the tungsten walls, like a preventive vaccination.

However, traditional boronization required completely stopping fusion experiments, cooling the device, and injecting toxic gases overnight—a cumbersome process. The coating was not permanent, so this had to be repeated regularly, causing critical downtime for commercial plants. A new solution was urgently needed for industrial fusion.

Innovative Breakthrough: The ‘Salt Shaker’ for the Artificial Sun

To solve this old problem, two giants of global fusion research, Korea Fusion Energy Research Institute (KFE) and the U.S. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), joined forces.

The Korea-US team’s solution was surprisingly simple and elegant.

“Instead of stopping the machine, what if we sprinkle the needed powder lightly during operation?”

They installed PPPL’s ‘impurity powder dropper’ on KSTAR. This device, like a precise ‘salt shaker,’ sprays ultra-fine boron powder in real-time onto the edge of the 100-million-degree plasma. The boron powder instantly vaporizes, forming a new protective layer on the inner wall in real time.

Thanks to this technology, operators can maintain the inner wall condition at an optimal level without stopping the fusion reaction. What makes this technology especially noteworthy is that it shifts the fusion reactor operation paradigm from ‘static repairs’ to ‘dynamic management.’

Even more surprisingly, this technology improved plasma heat confinement and mitigated ’edge localized modes (ELMs),’ instabilities that can damage the inner wall—an unexpected bonus.

Comparison / Alternatives

Traditional Boronization vs. Real-Time Powder Injection Technology

Conclusion

This Korea-US joint research achievement marks a crucial milestone illuminating the future of fusion energy.

• Key Summary:

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  1. Problem Solved: Successfully controlled tungsten impurity issues in the inner wall in real time without stopping operation.
  2. Paradigm Shift: Changed fusion reactor maintenance from periodic repairs to active real-time management, paving the way for commercialization.
  3. Future Value: Increased the likelihood of success for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and laid the foundation for future ‘intelligent reactors’ by integrating with AI control systems.

This small spark ignited by a handful of boron powder will be the overture of hope lighting the world with the immense power of nuclear fusion. Why not continue to follow this amazing journey?