Hackaday

Chinese researchers successfully pushed the EAST tokamak beyond the Greenwald Density Limit by reducing impurity radiation through electron cyclotron resonance heating and pre-filled gas pressure. This breakthrough confirms the plasma-wall self-organization theory, which suggests that plasma edge instability stems from interactions between plasma dynamics and wall conditions. The achievement enables higher plasma densities while maintaining stable high-confinement mode, a critical factor for energy return in fusion reactors. The research also draws comparisons with the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, suggesting tokamaks can operate more similarly to stellarators, though stellarators still hold efficiency advantages.

Pushing China’s EAST Tokamak Past The Greenwald Density Limit