IPP enters into cooperation with Australian fusion institute

Australian National University and IPP conclude cooperation agreement

The Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra and Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Garching and Greifswald have concluded an agreement on scientific cooperation in fusion research. This will mainly consist in experimental plasma physics, theoretical description and modelling of plasma behaviour, and materials research. The cooperation will involve exchanges of scientists in conjunction with joint events and publications.

The objective of fusion research is to develop a power plant that, like the sun and stars, derives energy from fusion of atomic nuclei. Igniting the fusion fire requires that the fuel, viz. a low-density hydrogen plasma, be confined in magnetic fields without contacting the vessel walls, and then be heated to temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees. For this purpose the Australian fusion scientists at the ANU Plasma Research Laboratory are operating the H-1 fusion device, an experiment of the stellarator type. At IPP in Greifswald preparations are now in progress for putting into operation Wendelstein 7-X, the world’s largest stellarator. At IPP in Garching research is being conducted on ASDEX Upgrade, a device of the tokamak type.