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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.
I. Cristescu, I. R. Cristescu, L. Dörr, M. Glugla, D. Murdoch
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 52 | Number 3 | October 2007 | Pages 667-671
Technical Paper | The Technology of Fusion Energy - Tritium, Safety, and Environment | doi.org/10.13182/FST07-A1565
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
One of the main concerns related to licensing of ITER is the amount of potentially tritium release into the environment and the qualification of the barriers against tritium release. The final barrier of tritium release from fuel cycle is the Water Detritiation System (WDS) which will be operated in combination with the Isotope Separation System (ISS). To investigate the performances of various components of these systems, an experimental facility based on Combined Electrolysis Catalytic Exchange (CECE) process with a Cryogenic Distillation (CD) process was built at Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe. The investigations are focused on two main issues: to quantify the separation performances of deuterium and tritium within the Liquid Phase Catalytic Exchange (LPCE) and CD processes in steady state and in dynamic mode of operation and to develop an integrated control system to be used in ITER ISS, in order to minimize the tritium inventory and to reduce at maximum extent the tritium releases. At TLK the two systems, CECE and CD have been commissioned and the experimental program and preliminary functionality tests of the main components are presented.