ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Nuclear Installations Safety
Devoted specifically to the safety of nuclear installations and the health and safety of the public, this division seeks a better understanding of the role of safety in the design, construction and operation of nuclear installation facilities. The division also promotes engineering and scientific technology advancement associated with the safety of such facilities.
Meeting Spotlight
2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
Latest Magazine Issues
Apr 2024
Jan 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
College students help develop waste-measuring device at Hanford
A partnership between Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) and Washington State University has resulted in the development of a device to measure radioactive and chemical tank waste at the Hanford Site. WRPS is the contractor at Hanford for the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management.
L. C. Steinhauer et al.
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 30 | Number 1 | September 1996 | Pages 116-127
Department | Report | doi.org/10.13182/FST96-A30769
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This document expresses the consensus of a worldwide community of fusion energy researchers on directions for research on the field-reversed configuration (FRC) over the next 5 yr. The FRC, a variety of compact torus, occupies a unique position in the parameter space of magnetically confined plasmas. It differs markedly from other toroidal systems: no mechanical structure in the center of the torus, no appreciable toroidal field, engineering beta near unity, no rotational transform, and scrape-off layer exhausting outside the coil system. FRCs range from small gyroradius to large-orbit ion-ring-dominated plasmas. Because of these peculiar features, FRC research adds unique insight into the physics of tokamaks and similar fusion systems. Moreover, FRC research offers a means of exploring fundamental plasma physics questions unrelated to fusion. Review panels have repeatedly called for fusion system improvements in order to project economical fusion energy. However, even improved tokamaks may not overcome the shortcomings of low power density, high complexity, large unit size, and high development cost. Among alternative concepts based on low-density magnetic confinement, the FRC offers arguably the best reactor potential because of high power density, simple structural and magnetic topology, simple heat exhaust handling, and potential for advanced fuels. Projected FRC reactors are much smaller than those based on the tokamak. Small size leads to lower costs. The enormous potential payoff as a reactor justifies a broad and sustained program on FRC stability and confinement. Several FRC-related facilities are in operation around the world as well as other small theory efforts. Favorable results from theory and experiments have raised hopes for ultimate development into a practical fusion system. Parameters achieved include densities ranging from 5 × 1013 to 5 × 1015 cm−3, temperatures up to 3 keV (ions) and 500 eV (electrons), and β ∼ 0.75 to 0.95. Noteworthy achievements include formation by theta pinch and by counterhelicity merging, simulation of large-orbit ion-ring injection and trapping, stabilization of rotational instability, detection of global internal modes, tilting mode theory, global translation along a guide field, identification of transport anomalies, and demonstration of the convective nature of energy loss. In view of the foregoing, five action items are recommended. First, FRC research should be continued and expanded both as an adjunct to mainline fusion research and as a stand-alone alternative fusion concept. Second, existing FRC-related resources should be exploited in an expanded program, including both facilities and the intellectual capital established in institutions and individuals with a long commitment to FRCs. Third, new FRC facilities or upgrades of existing facilities should be considered on the merits of how they address the directions offered in this document. This should include consideration of a jointly operated international FRC research facility. Fourth, researchers and institutions with a history of activity on the tokamak should be encouraged to broaden their research to include FRC theory, diagnostic development, and systems studies. Fifth, vigorous international collaboration on FRC research should be encouraged, including at least annual workshops and long-term exchange visits.