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National Institute for Fusion Science

Research Activities

Research Report2016

Press ReleaseEurekAlert! December 21, 2016
Calculating 1 billion plasma particles in a supercomputer

The generation of fusion energy utilizes the fusion reaction that occurs inside a high-temperature plasma. ...

Press ReleaseEurekAlert! December 9, 2016
Clarifying the behaviors of negative hydrogen ions

The Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) is a method for increasing the plasma temperature and driving currents in magnetically-confined fusion plasmas by injecting neutral hydrogen/deuterium beams. ...

Research Updates December 7, 2016
Clarifying Plasma Perturbations by High-energy Particles: Hybrid Simulations Using Particles and Fluids

We use deuterium and tritium to achieve the fusion reaction in the future. The high-energy alpha particles (helium ions) that are generated by the fusion reaction heat the plasma and bear the important role of maintaining the high temperature condition that is necessary for the fusion reaction. ...

Press ReleaseEurekAlert! November 25, 2016
The fusion reactor that employs a liquid metal shower

In a magnetic field confinement fusion reactor, we maintain the high-temperature plasma through the magnetic field lines by floating the plasma apart from a vessel. However, there forms inevitably a location ...

Press ReleaseEurekAlert! November 24, 2016
Clarifying the plasma oscillation by high-energy particles

Background to the Research High-energy alpha particles (helium ion) which are generated by the fusion reaction that uses deuterium and tritium bear the important roles of heating plasma and of maintaining the high temperature condition which is necessary for the fusion reaction. ...

Research Updates November 16, 2016
The Ballooning (Balloon-Type) Instability Caused by the Steep Pressure Gradient:Acquiring Hints Regarding Improvement of High-density Plasma Performance

The Large Helical Device (LHD) can maintain high-density plasma which other tokamak and other devices cannot attain at the same magnetic field strength as that of other devices. ...

Press ReleaseEurekAlert! November 14, 2016
First observations of tongue deformation of plasma based upon the Artsimovich Prediction

Aiming for the achievement of fusion energy, research on confining a high temperature, high density plasma in a magnetic field is being conducted around the world. ...

Press ReleaseEurekAlert! November 2, 2016
Establishing an advanced bonding technique for tungsten and copper alloys

The divertor is the device that continuously receives the extremely high heat and particle loads from the nuclear fusion plasma. ...

Research Updates October 26, 2016
Investigating the Whereabouts of Waves inside a Plasma: The Development of an Observation Method Focusing on Cost-Performance

In the Large Helical Device (LHD), we inject electromagnetic waves in order to heat electrons inside the plasma. The electromagnetic waves often do not reach regions where the plasma density is high and often change into different waves having different properties. ...

Research Updates October 5, 2016
Observations of Fluctuations that Grow Together with Deceleration of Rotation:A Comparison of Helical and Tokamak Plasmas

An aurora dancing brightly in the evening sky is beautiful. An aurora is a plasma in the natural world, but the artificial plasma employed in fusion energy generation must be confined by utilizing a magnetic field container. ...

Press ReleaseEurekAlert! October 4, 2016
Large volumes of data from ITER successfully transferred to Japan at unprecedented speeds

The National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST), as the implementing agency of the BA activities, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) ...

Research Updates September 14, 2016
Clarifying the Physics of the Confinement Improvement Phenomenon of High-temperature Plasmas: Results that Approach Questions over the Past Thirty Years

In order to achieve fusion energy it is necessary to confine high-temperature plasma. However, when we heat plasma, a small spiral flow is generated, and there appear the problems of worsening of plasma confinement and avoiding a rise in temperature. ...

Research Updates August 24, 2016
Imaging Diagnostics of LHD Plasma Using High-speed Cameras and a Simulation Analysis: The Movement of Dusts in Edge Plasmas

In the Large Helical Device (LHD) we watch and measure plasmas using high-speed cameras. Compared to video cameras sold in the market that take thirty images per second, high-speed cameras can take more than 100,000 images in one second, at an extraordinary speed. ...

Press ReleaseEurekAlert! August 4, 2016
Clarifying the fusion plasma confinement improvement mechanism

In seeking the realization of the fusion reactor, research on confining high temperature and high density plasma in the magnetic field is being conducted around the world. ...

Research Updates August 3, 2016
Discovery of a Method for Strongly Affixing Two Metals with Different Properties:Contributing to the High Performance of the Divertor’s Removal of the High Heat Load

In the magnetic confinement devices that are represented by the Large Helical Device (LHD), we confine high-temperature plasma in the magnetic field container, which is invisible to the human eye. ...

Research Updates July 13, 2016
Investigating the Growth and Rotation of Plasma Fluctuations through Calculations: Linear Analysis and Nonlinear Simulation of Instabilities

In order to achieve fusion energy it is necessary to stably confine high-temperature, high-density plasma at a high pressure in the magnetic field container (though we say high pressure, it only becomes several atmospheric pressure). ...

Press ReleaseEurekAlert! July 9, 2016
The discovery of new emission lines from highly charged heavy ions

Professors Chihiro Suzuki and Izumi Murakami's research group at the National Institute for Fusion Science, together with Professor Fumihiro Koike of Sophia University, injected various elements with high atomic numbers and produced highly charged ions(*1) in LHD plasmas. ...

Research Updates June 22, 2016
Aiming the Electron Beam and Investigating the Light Emission:Collecting Light Emission Data from Ceramics Materials for the Fusion Reactor

In the future fusion reactor we will improve function by coating the surface of metallic materials with ceramic materials, for the purpose of insulating the surface electrically, and of preventing gas permeation and corrosion. ...

Research Updates June 1, 2016
We Now Understand the Idea for Maintaining Fusion Plasma for an Extended Duration: Micro-sedimentary Accumulation Layer Controls Plasma Maintenance

In 2013 the Large Helical Device (LHD) succeeded in maintaining a plasma of 23,000,000 degrees for forty-eight minutes. This is a world record for long-term maintenance of a high-performance plasma. However, for achieving fusion energy it is necessary to maintain a plasma at more than 100,000,000 degrees throughout one year. ...

Research Updates May 11, 2016
Discovering a New Plasma Confinement Condition:Results from the Japan-United States Joint Research

In the Large Helical Device (LHD) at the National Institute for Fusion Science development of methods for measuring the condition of high-temperature high-density plasmas confined in the magnetic field is being undertaken. ...

Research Updates April 20, 2016
Seeking to Predict Plasma Movement in a Fusion Reactor: Reproduction of Collision Phenomena among Multiple Ion Species on Computer

Many people enjoy billiards. There are but ten billiard balls, but it is difficult to predict how the balls will collide into one another as they move on the table, and then to decide upon a shot. ...

Research Updates April 1, 2016
Optical Devices Made of Ceramics that Cause the Phenomenon that the Father of Electricity “Faraday” Discovered: Toward Accurate Measurements of Plasma

Does everyone know of Michael Faraday (1791-1867)? He was an English scientist, and is known as “the father of electricity” for having discovered the law of electromagnetic induction, which is the principle of motors and generators. ...

Research Updates February 17, 2016
Discovery of a New Abrupt Phenomenon in High-temperature Plasma in the Large Helical Device: Abrupt Generation of Large Amplitude Waves and Clarification of the Mechanism

In the Large Helical Device (LHD) a new “abrupt” phenomenon of plasma has been discovered. In this phenomenon, inside a high-temperature plasma “abrupt”ly a wave with a large amplitude is generated. ...

Research Updates February 17, 2016
Predicting Plasma Turbulence and Energy Confinement:Reproducing LHD Deuterium Plasma Using Leading Edge Supercomputers

In achieving nuclear fusion power generation, it is necessary to confine the energy stored in a plasma for a long period of time and to maintain the extreme high temperature condition of higher than 100 million degrees. ...

Research Updates January 27, 2016
Success in Extensive Coating of Oxidized Erbium Electrical Insulator:Development of High-performance Coating Technology inside a Pipe for an Advanced Blanket

In the future generation of fusion energy we will take out the kinetic energy of high-speed particles as heat, and utilizing that heat we will produce high-temperature high-pressure gas and generate electricity by turbines. ...

Press ReleaseEurekAlert! January 2, 2016
Abrupt excitation phenomenon in high-temperature plasma

At the National Institutes of Natural Sciences National Institute for Fusion Science, researchers have developed the high-energy heavy ion beam probe, in order to perform potential measurement inside a high-temperature plasma that was generated in the Institute's Large Helical Device (LHD). ...

Research Updates January 6, 2016
Building a Wall that Withstands High Temperatures Using Liquid Metal:The Development of the Tin Shower Divertor

At the National Institute for Fusion Science, we make an extreme high-temperature plasma in a strong magnetic field and prevent the plasma from coming into contact with the vacuum vessel. ...