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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.
Friedrich Arendt, Peter Komarek
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 1 | Number 4 | October 1981 | Pages 552-569
Technical Paper | Magnet System | doi.org/10.13182/FST81-A19948
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
One of the major components in a fusion reactor for which a safety analysis must be carried out is the magnet system. We attempt to provide a systematic answer to the hazard potential of superconducting magnets for fusion. Event trees are developed, demonstrating the predictable behavior in all cases. It can be seen that usual failure events cause only a temporary shutdown of the magnet system without damage. Less likely accidental events will lead to single-current arcs with moderate internal damage of a single coil. Only sudden complete rupture of a turn can be followed by a multiple-current arcing resulting in a very high power arc with a certain probability of burning through the coil case, thus damaging other reactor components before extinction. Missile generation of winding parts can only occur in the very hypothetical case of simultaneous rupture of the winding at a sufficiently large distance apart. Even then, the developed kinetic energy will be less than that of airplane crashes considered in the safety analysis of nuclear power plants.