CERN Colloquium

Prospects for Fusion Energy using Magnetic Confinement

by Dr Bob Mumgaard (Commonwealth Fusion System), Prof. Hartmut Zohm (Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik)

Europe/Zurich
Video only

Video only

Description

Nuclear Fusion is the process that powers the stars. Research to make this process accessible as an energy source on Earth by confining a hot hydrogenic plasma in magnetic fields has made substantial progress.    
In this talk, we will first introduce the principles of magnetic confinement and then review the present status of research. When discussing the plans towards fusion power plants, special emphasis will be put on the use of High Temperature Super Conducting magnets, which could be a game changer towards achieving the goal.   

Dr Bob Mumgaard received his PhD in plasma physics at MIT, focusing his work on how to accelerate fusion energy towards a zero-carbon future. As CEO and co-founder of Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) he leads the company strategy and technology development.  
Prof. Dr Hartmut Zohm, born on 2 November 1962 in Freiburg, has been a Scientific Fellow of Max-Planck-Institute of Plasma Physics (IPP) and Head of Tokamak Scenario Development Division (formerly Experimental Plasma Physics Division 2) since 1999. After studying physics at Karlsruhe (1983 to 1988), he worked for his PhD at IPP from 1988 till 1990. For his thesis entitled "Investigation of Magnetic Modes in the ASDEX Tokamak", he was awarded the Otto Hahn Medal in 1991 by the Max Planck Society. In 2014 he was awarded the John Dawson Award for Excellence in Plasma Physics Research by the American Physical Society; in 2016 he received the Hannes Alfvén Prize of the European Physical Society.

Organised by

Monica Pepe-Altarelli