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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.
Takashi Shimozuma, Shin Kubo, Yasuo Yoshimura, Hiroe Igami, Kazunobu Nagasaki, Takashi Notake, Sigeru Inagaki, Satoshi Ito, Sakuji Kobayashi, Yoshinori Mizuno, Yasuyuki Takita, Kenji Saito, Tetsuo Seki, Ryuhei Kumazawa, Tetsuo Watari, Takashi Mutoh, LHD Experimental Group
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 50 | Number 3 | October 2006 | Pages 403-411
Technical Paper | Stellarators | doi.org/10.13182/FST06-A1262
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECH) system in the Large Helical Device consists of nine gyrotrons: two that are 82.7 GHz, 0.45 MW, and 2 s; two that are 84 GHz, 0.8 MW, and 3 s; one that is 84 GHz, 0.2 MW, and 1000 s; and four that are 168 GHz, 0.5 MW, and 1 s. ECH and electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) experiments using this system have been conducted not only for plasma heating and current drive experiments but also for transport and power deposition studies with power modulation. The configuration of the recent ECH system including gyrotrons, high-voltage power supplies, and the transmission system is overviewed. The outstanding progress on the ECH/ECCD experimental results is described in detail, which includes an electron transport study in the plasma with an electron internal transport barrier, electron Bernstein wave heating through the mode conversion process, preliminary current drive experiments, and a steady-state plasma sustainment >1 h by only ECH.