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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.
R. E. Nygren
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 61 | Number 1 | January 2012 | Pages 52-57
Fusion | Proceedings of the Fifteenth International Conference on Emerging Nuclear Energy Systems | doi.org/10.13182/FST12-A13396
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper presents examples from work in developing the technology needed for fusion. The purpose is to illustrate how our research ranges from very basic investigations to more directed applications. The paper draws primarily from work by others on the critical goals of extracting heat in a useful way from a fusion reactor and producing and handling tritium as a self-sufficient fuel.