Ep 123: Dennis Whyte, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In this episode we discuss... Dennis' background and personal journey in the nuclear industry A deep dive into tokamaks and their innerworkings The definition of a plasma Why heat and density are crucial to successful fusion and the material challenges involved How tritium is extracted from lithium Requirements to prevent coolant itself from becoming radioactive Design challenges surrounding fusion systems including pumps and their inability to distinguish between helium and unburned fuel The physics of magnetism Dennis' mission to change the global nuclear industry through his work at MIT to make fusion economically viable