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Fusion energy: Progress, partnerships, and the path to deployment
Over the past decade, fusion energy has moved decisively from scientific aspiration toward a credible pathway to a new energy technology. Thanks to long-term federal support, we have significantly advanced our fundamental understanding of plasma physics—the behavior of the superheated gases at the heart of fusion devices. This knowledge will enable the creation and control of fusion fuel under conditions required for future power plants. Our progress is exemplified by breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility and the Joint European Torus.
James P. Blanchard, Carl J. Martin, Mark Tillack, Xueren Wang
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 60 | Number 1 | July 2011 | Pages 313-317
In-Vessel Components - FW, Blanket, Shield & VV | Proceedings of the Nineteenth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (TOFE) (Part 1) | doi.org/10.13182/FST11-A12372
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
One of the primary failure mechanisms addressed by structural design rules for fusion components is ratcheting, the accumulation of strain with cyclic loads. If a component is loaded such that ratcheting occurs, failure can be expected in relatively short order, so design rules must ensure that the behavior is avoided. In this paper, we present finite element models for cyclic loading of typical fusion structures and compare the results to analytical models for simple geometries and design rules intended for more complex geometries. Both material and structural ratcheting is considered. For structural ratcheting, the 3Sm rule employed in the ITER Structural Design Criteria is found to be unduly conservative and the accompanying Bree rules are found, in some cases, to be non-conservative. Significant advantage can be gained from using fully plastic models to avoid ratcheting.