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SPARC (tokamak)

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42°32′37″N 71°37′38″W / 42.5437°N 71.6271°W / 42.5437; -71.6271

SPARC
Soonest/Smallest Possible ARC
Device typeTokamak
LocationDevens, Massachusetts, United States
AffiliationCommonwealth Fusion Systems
MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Technical specifications
Major radius1.85 m
Minor radius0.57 m
Plasma volume20 m3
Magnetic field12.2 T
Heating power25 MW
Fusion power(140 MW)
Discharge duration(10 s)
Plasma current(8.7 MA)
Plasma temperature(80×106 K)
History
Date(s) of construction2021–present
Year(s) of operation2027 (projected; first plasma)

SPARC is a tokamak under development by Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Plasma Science and Fusion Center.[1] Funding has come from Eni,[2] Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Temasek, Equinor, Devonshire Investors, and others.[3]

Through SPARC, CFS plans to verify the technology and physics required to build a power plant based on the ARC fusion power plant concept.[1] SPARC is designed to achieve this with margin in excess of scientific breakeven[4] (fusion energy gain factor Q > 1) and may be capable of achieving up to 140 MW of fusion power for 10-second bursts despite its relatively compact size.[2][1]

The project is scheduled to start operations in 2026, with the goal of demonstrating first plasma in 2027 and scientific breakeven (Q > 1) shortly after that.[5] It was initially scheduled for operation in 2025[6][7] after completing a magnet test in 2021.[8][9]

History

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The SPARC project was announced in 2018 with a planned completion in 2025.[6] The name was chosen as an abbreviation of "Smallest Possible ARC", where ARC stands for "affordable, robust, compact".[10] In March 2021, CFS announced that it planned to build SPARC at its campus in Devens, Massachusetts.[11]

Construction site in May 2023

In September 2021, the project successfully tested a prototype toroidal high-field coil, achieving a record for high-temperature superconducting magnets, with a field strength of 20 T at the temperature of 20 K.[12]

In November 2024, a prototype of the reactor's central solenoid was demonstrated, and the building housing SPARC in Devens was largely completed, with assembly of the SPARC tokamak in early stages.[13]

In January 2026, the first of 18 toroidal field magnets was completed and placed on an assembly jig in the building housing SPARC.[14][15]

Technology

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SPARC uses yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) high-temperature superconducting magnets that retain superconductivity at temperatures as high as 77 K (optimally at 10 K).[16] The resulting plasmas are expected to generate at least twice as much energy as is required to sustain themselves at high temperatures (200 million K),[17] giving a fusion gain Q > 2, with an expected Q ≈ 11.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 Creely, A. J.; Greenwald, M. J.; Ballinger, S. B.; Brunner, D.; Canik, J.; Doody, J.; Fülöp, T.; Garnier, D. T.; Granetz, R.; Gray, T. K.; Holland, C. (2020). "Overview of the SPARC tokamak". Journal of Plasma Physics. 86 (5). Bibcode:2020JPlPh..86e8602C. doi:10.1017/S0022377820001257. hdl:1721.1/136131. ISSN 0022-3778.
  2. 1 2 "MIT and newly formed company launch novel approach to fusion power". MIT News. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
  3. ↑ Rathi, Akshat (26 September 2018). "In search of clean energy, investments in nuclear-fusion startups are heating up". Quartz. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  4. ↑ See scientific vs. engineering vs. commercial breakeven in Fusion energy gain factor
  5. ↑ Pao, Jeff (2026-04-28). "Commonwealth Fusion Systems targets SPARC net energy gain by 2027". www.techjournal.uk. Retrieved 2026-09-17.
  6. 1 2 "Commonwealth Fusion Systems raises $115m". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  7. ↑ Lavars, Nick (2021-09-09). "World's strongest fusion magnet brings new power to nuclear pursuit". New Atlas. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
  8. ↑ "Validating the physics behind the new MIT-designed fusion experiment". MIT News. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 29 September 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  9. ↑ Fountain, Henry (2020-09-29). "Compact Nuclear Fusion Reactor Is 'Very Likely to Work,' Studies Suggest". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  10. ↑ MIT's Pathway to Fusion Energy (IAP 2017) - Zach Hartwig, 6 February 2017, retrieved 2024-02-12
  11. ↑ Chesto, Jon (2021-03-03). "MIT energy startup homes in on fusion, with plans for 47-acre site in Devens". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  12. ↑ "MIT-designed project achieves major advance toward fusion energy". MIT News. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
  13. ↑ Crownhart, Casey (1 October 2024). "Inside a fusion energy facility". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  14. ↑ Commonwealth Fusion Systems (2026-01-06). The first cutting-edge, super strong magnet for SPARC is complete. Retrieved 2026-01-06 – via YouTube.
  15. ↑ Commonwealth Fusion Systems (2026-01-06). "CFS delivers its first fusion magnet". Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  16. ↑ Clery, Daniel (2021-03-03). "Fusion startup plans reactor with small but powerful superconducting magnets". Science. AAAS. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  17. ↑ "MIT Validates Science Behind New Nuclear Fusion Reactor Design". www.greentechmedia.com. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020.
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