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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.
Viatcheslav V. Anisimov, Vladimir A. Arkhangel'sky, Nikolay S. Ganchuk, Arkady A. Yukhimchuk, Emanuela Cavalleri, Fedor I. Karmanov, Alexander Yu. Konobeyev, Victor I. Slobodtchouk, Lioudmila N. Latysheva, Igor A. Pshenichnov, Leonid I. Ponomarev, Marcello Vecchi
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 39 | Number 2 | March 2001 | Pages 198-208
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/FST01-A161
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The results of the design study of an advanced scheme for the 14-MeV intense neutron source based on muon-catalyzed fusion (CF) are presented. A pion production target (liquid lithium) and a synthesizer [liquid deuterium-tritium (D-T) mixture] are considered. Negative pions are produced inside a 17/7 T magnetic field by an intense (2-GeV,12-mA) deuteron beam interacting with the 150-cm-long, 0.75-cm-radius lithium target. Muons from the pion decay are collected in the backward direction and stopped in the D-T mixture of the synthesizer. The synthesizer has the shape of a 10-cm-radius sphere surrounded by two 0.03-cm-thick titanium shells. At 100 CF events/muon, it can produce up to 1017n/s of 14-MeV neutrons. A quasi-isotropic neutron flux up to 1014 n/cm2s-1 can be achieved in the test volume of ~2.5 l with an irradiated surface of ~350 cm2. The thermophysical and thermomechanical analyses show that the technological limits are not exceeded.