Trenta

Helion’s record-breaking 6th fusion prototype.

Trenta represents a significant step forward in the pursuit of clean, safe, and abundant fusion energy. It was the first privately-funded fusion device to reach commercially-relevant fusion conditions. Its repeated operations provided key data for commercial fusion development.

Trenta’s results

Fusion pulses

10,000+

Temperatures achieved

9 keV

Operational lifetime

2 years

Bulk fusion evidence in

D-D, D-He-3

Trenta design specifications

Total length

15 m

Fuel

D-D, D-He-3

Repetition rate

0.0016 Hz

Bank energy

10 MJ+

Peak field

8 T

Inductive energy recovery

No

Gas filtering

No

Total diagnostics

1,100

100 million degree plasmas

In 2020, Trenta reached the temperatures required for commercial fusion operations. Using an extensive suite of diagnostics, we confirmed our plasmas exceeded 9 keV (100 M°C) total plasma temperatures.

Continuous operations

Trenta completed a 16-month testing campaign, remaining under vacuum continuously while all fusion and diagnostic operations and system upgrades were done remotely.

Bulk deuterium-helium-3 fusion

We primarily tested Trenta with deuterium fusion fuel. In 2021, we operated Trenta with our intended fuels for Helion's commercial fusion sytem and saw evidence of bulk deuterium-helium-3 fusion.

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Cable connections on Trenta's formation section (2021)

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The inside of Trenta's acceleration section during construction (2020)

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Trenta's formation section during a fusion pulse. The glow is from deuterium plasmas being formed (2020)

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A plasma gun upgrade on the end of Trenta's divertor section (2021)