Stellarators are a type of magnetic-confinement reactor that generates electricity by the means of thermonuclear fusion. Fusion is the process in which Hydrogen atoms coalesce, “fuse” with each other, forming larger atoms under extreme environmental conditions, thereby releasing energy. These conditions of unforgiving heat and pressure cause our Hydrogen to break apart and form the fourth known state of physical matter, plasma. The reactor uses its arranged array of peculiarly shaped coils (coloured rings along the vessel) to induce a magnetic field that confines the plasma to the vessel’s shape. The distinct shape of the vessel optimises plasma-stability and sequesters the Stellarator from other fusion reactor types. The machine below depicts a five-fold discrete quasi-isodynamic symmetry, similar to Wendelstein 7-X, an actual experimental device.
