Student builds fusion reactor with AI and $2,000 budget

Student builds fusion reactor with AI and $2,000 budget
04 Sep 2024

A remarkable story has emerged from the world of science, with a student achieving a seemingly impossible feat: building a working fusion reactor at home.

Hudhayfa Nazoordeen, a mathematics student from the University of Waterloo, has successfully built a mini fusion reactor.

The remarkable feat was achieved with the help of AI assistant Claude and a budget of only $2,000.

Despite having no prior experience with hardware, Nazoordeen managed to complete this complex project within just four weeks.

Nazoordeen's reactor mirrors actual tokamak
Design details

Fusion reactors work by replicating the process that powers the Sun, merging atomic nuclei to release immense amounts of energy with minimal waste.

However, building these reactors is incredibly complex and expensive, typically requiring specialized facilities and scientists.

Nazoordeen's home-built reactor mimics an actual tokamak, a device used in nuclear fusion research. The power for his setup was supplied by a modest 12kV neon sign transformer.

His reactor also achieved plasma, a key step in the fusion process.

Overcoming challenges in reactor construction
Project hurdles

The first week of the project was dedicated to identifying and acquiring essential components, including some readily available parts purchased online.

The following week involved assembling the main chamber and rectifier circuit.

By the third week, Nazoordeen had set up his reactor at home and started integrating the neon transformer.

However, creating a vacuum system proved to be a significant challenge that tested his perseverance.

Vacuum system: A crucial component for fusion
System details

Nazoordeen described the vacuum system as "the most annoying part of this project," due to the need to locate and seal multiple small leaks.

Eventually, he achieved a vacuum of 25 millionths of an atmosphere.

This low-pressure environment is crucial for fusion as it allows nuclei to come close enough to fuse.

To continuously monitor and control the vacuum, Nazoordeen used an MKS-901p transducer.

AI chatbot Claude 3.5 assisted in reactor development
AI assistance

In addition to receiving help from other engineers on campus, Nazoordeen also utilized Anthropic's AI chatbot, Claude 3.5, in the development of his reactor.

He stated, "I fed Claude all my datasheets, and it helped a ton with this."

Despite these achievements, Nazoordeen's homemade fusor has not yet achieved fusion and does not emit neutrons due to the challenges associated with miniaturizing such a complex process.

Nazoordeen's future plans and industry recognition
Future prospects

Nazoordeen has expressed plans to continue working on his project and is currently seeking funding for a "full fusor."

His work has been recognized by Olivia Li, an engineer from the University of Toronto who built her own fusion reactor last year.

Li commended Nazoordeen's achievement, stating that while many people express interest in building a fusion reactor, he is the only one who has actually executed it.