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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.
Satoshi Fukada, Shigenori Suemori
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 61 | Number 1 | January 2012 | Pages 441-445
Other Concepts and Assessments | Proceedings of the Fifteenth International Conference on Emerging Nuclear Energy Systems | doi.org/10.13182/FST12-A13460
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A system to utilize high-temperature nuclear heat effectively is proposed here. The system comprises a High-Temperature Gas-cooled nuclear Reactor (HTGR), reaction vessels to produce H2 using the steam-reforming reaction of CH4 or the Iodine-Sulfur (I-S) process, chemical heat pumps and He gas turbines. The chemical heat pumps are operated between the two decomposition temperatures of SO3 (~900°C) and HI (~500°C) of the I-S process. The pump system transfers heat from lower temperature to higher one with repeated H2 absorption-desorption cycles, and the overall thermal conversion ratio from H2O to H2 can be enhanced. The material candidate for H2 absorption in heat pump is considered TiH2 and ZrCoH3 (or UH3) according to the two reaction temperatures. The decomposition of the metal hydrides proceeds at their respective plateau pressures that are a function of temperature regardless of the H content in metals. Variations of the temperature and the equilibrium H2 pressure with repetitions of the heat-pump cycle are shown in the present paper comparatively. In addition, proton-conducting fuel cell system supplied with CH4 is incorporated in the high-temperature utilization system.