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Fusion Energy
This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
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2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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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!
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Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Bipartisan Fusion Energy Act pushes for regulatory clarity
Sen. Alex Padilla (D., Calif.) introduced the Fusion Energy Act (S. 4151) last month with a bipartisan group of cosponsors—John Cornyn (R., Texas), Cory Booker (D., N.J.), Todd Young (R., Ind.), and Patty Murray (D., Wash.). The legislation would codify the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s regulatory authority over commercial fusion energy systems to streamline the creation of clear federal regulations that will support the development of commercial fusion power plants—and would require a report within one year on a study of risk- and performance-based, design-specific licensing frameworks for “mass-manufactured fusion machines.
“Congress must do everything in its power to ensure continued U.S. leadership in developing commercial fusion energy facilities,” said Padilla as he introduced the bill. “The Fusion Energy Act would provide regulatory certainty for investors as the NRC develops and streamlines frameworks for such facilities.”
Arrigo Sestero
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 4 | Number 3 | November 1983 | Pages 437-451
Technical Papers | Plasma Engineering | doi.org/10.13182/FST83-A22793
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A feedback control scenario of plasma burning in a tokamak reactor is investigated, whereby compression-expansion of the plasma provides routine control against small deviations from equilibrium, while occasional larger perturbations (expected to be of the cooling type only) are counteracted by the switching on of part of the additional heating system. The feasibility of the proposal is investigated on a profile-corrected zero-dimensional linearized model of the burning plasma, involving separate energy balances for electrons, ions, and alpha particles. Special attention is paid to control-theory features, with the aim to suitably interface them with plasma physics and fusion physics. A positive assessment concerning the feasibility of the proposed scheme is derived, with the proviso, however, that enough accuracy be obtained from the diagnostics that control the input to the feedback loop