thermonuclear reactor
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A device designed to achieve and maintain a controlled thermonuclear fusion reaction for the purpose of generating energy. It is a theoretical or experimental type of nuclear reactor that uses the fusion of light atomic nuclei, as opposed to the fission of heavy nuclei used in conventional nuclear reactors.
Usage
The term "thermonuclear reactor" specifically refers to a facility or apparatus whose primary purpose is to harness energy from fusion reactions. It is used in scientific, engineering, and energy policy contexts. * The research team aims to build a thermonuclear reactor that produces more energy than it consumes. * Sustaining a stable plasma is one of the greatest challenges for a practical thermonuclear reactor.
Advanced Usage
- Experimental vs. Practical: The term is often used to describe experimental devices (like tokamaks or stellarators) that are research steps toward a future, commercially viable fusion power plant.
- The experimental thermonuclear reactor achieved a plasma temperature of over 100 million degrees Celsius.
Variants and Related Words
- Fusion reactor: A more common synonym for "thermonuclear reactor."
- Tokamak: A specific, toroidal (doughnut-shaped) design for a magnetic confinement fusion reactor.
- Stellarator: Another type of magnetic confinement fusion reactor design.
- Nuclear fusion: The physical process that a thermonuclear reactor seeks to utilize.
Synonyms
- Fusion reactor
- Fusion power plant (when referring to a future commercial facility)
Related Concepts (Not Phrasal Verbs or Idioms)
- Magnetic confinement: A primary method for containing the hot plasma in a thermonuclear reactor.
- Inertial confinement: An alternative approach to achieving fusion, often using lasers.
- Plasma: The superheated, ionized state of matter in which fusion occurs within the reactor.
- Breakeven/Ignition: Key milestones for a thermonuclear reactor, where the fusion energy output equals or exceeds the energy input required to sustain the reaction.
Noun
- a nuclear reactor that uses controlled nuclear fusion to generate energy