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Question
What if the magnets fail?
A superconducting magnet failure (a quench) is a known, engineered-for event: detection systems safely dump the stored energy, and the plasma simply stops.
Magnet failure is an engineered-for shutdown, not a catastrophe — see magnet quench & protection and REBCO magnets.
Questions & answers
What happens if a fusion magnet fails?
The relevant failure is a 'quench' — part of the superconducting magnet suddenly going resistive. This is a well-understood event that magnet engineering designs for: detection systems catch it early and safely dump the magnet's stored energy into external resistors, and the plasma, no longer confined, simply stops.
Is the magnet's stored energy dangerous?
It's a real hazard that must be managed — a fusion magnet stores a great deal of energy — which is exactly why quench protection is one of the most safety-critical parts of the design. Kronos uses a graded, demountable winding pack with dedicated protection, and its deposited analyses include bounding quench cases (S70).
Could a magnet failure cause a disaster?
No — it's a controlled shutdown scenario, not a runaway. The plasma cannot continue without the field, so magnet failure ends the reaction rather than escalating it.