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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.
T. D. Bohm, M. E. Sawan, P. P. H. Wilson
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 64 | Number 3 | September 2013 | Pages 587-591
Nuclear Systems: Analysis and Experiments | Proceedings of the Twentieth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (TOFE-2012) (Part 2) Nashville, Tennessee, August 27-31, 2012 | doi.org/10.13182/FST13-A19156
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
ITER blanket modules (BMs) are arranged around the plasma to provide thermal and nuclear shielding for the vacuum vessel, magnets and other external components. Detailed mapping of nuclear heating, radiation damage, and helium production is an essential input to the design process. During initial investigation of a BM design, some simplifications of the BM may be needed. Nuclear heating was determined for four CAD based models of the BM04 region (located at the inboard mid-plane) including 1) a detailed 3-D geometry with a detailed 3-D source, 2) a detailed 3-D geometry with a uniformly distributed source, 3) a homogenized 3-D geometry with a detailed 3-D source, and, 4) a homogenized 3-D geometry with a uniformly distributed source. The results show that the impact of using homogenized models is larger than that of using a uniformly distributed source. These results are being incorporated into the BM design process by using more detail in homogenized models when detailed CAD based models are not available.