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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.
Steve F. Horne, Martin Greenwald, Tom W. Fredian, Ian H. Hutchinson, Brian Louis Labombard, Josh Stillerman, Yuichi Takase, Stephen M. Wolfe, Thomas A. Casper, David N. Butner, William H. Meyer, Jeffrey M. Moller
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 32 | Number 1 | August 1997 | Pages 152-160
Technical Paper | Instrumentation and Control | doi.org/10.13182/FST97-A19886
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Operation of a tokamak from a remote site has been demonstrated for the first time. The Alcator C-Mod tokamak, located at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was operated over the Internet from a remote control room set up at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. Prescription of the physics parameters such as plasma current, density, shape, heating power, and active diagnostics was accomplished entirely from the remote site using the same interface as when operating from the C-Mod control room. Engineering control of subsystems (e.g., vacuum, cooling, and power supply limits) remained under local control, providing appropriate equipment and personnel security. Although the principal purpose for running this experiment from a distance was to demonstrate the remote operation, it was planned as a productive physics run. The operation was highly successful; important new physics data were obtained, and valuable insight was gained into the potential of remote operation as well as its limitations.