National Compact Stellarator Experiment
The construction of the National Compact Stellarator Experiment ( NCSX ) began in April 2003 with the aim of proving the functionality of a compact stellarator- type nuclear fusion reactor .
The NCSX follows the stellarator concept, but is characterized by a lower aspect ratio compared to other stellarator experiments. One of the advantages of the NCSX experiment should be to keep the plasma more stable. The shape of the magnetic cage should be decisive for the stable containment of the plasma. The very small assembly tolerances required the use of laser trackers and photogrammetric measuring systems in order to assemble the stellarator experiment within the tolerance .
The very complex and precise assembly of the NCSX experiment led to a clear underestimation of the project costs of originally 102 million US dollars, which was accompanied by a significantly longer construction period. A project review determined that the stellarator experiment could not be put into operation on schedule by July 2009 and that it would incur costs of 170 million US dollars. Due to the cost overrun and the four-year delay, the project was stopped on May 22, 2008.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Case study ( Memento of the original from April 3, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. by the US Department of Energy
- ↑ Future of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) (PDF; 16 kB), Statement by Dr. Raymond L. Orbach, Under Secretary for Science and Director, Office of Science, US Department of Energy, May 22, 2008
