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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.
J. A. Schmidt, C. A. Flanagan
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 4 | Number 2 | September 1983 | Pages 56-61
U.S. Next-Generation Tokamak and Tandem Mirror Programs | doi.org/10.13182/FST83-A22845
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Design studies on a superconducting, long-pulse, current-driven, ignited tokamak, called the Toroidal Fusion Core Demonstration (TFCD), are being conducted by the Fusion Engineering Design Center (FEDC) and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) with additional broad community involvement. Options include the use of all-superconducting toroidal field (TF) coils, a superconducting-copper hybrid arrangement of TF coils, or all-copper TF coils. Only the first two options have been considered to date. The general feasibility of these approaches has been established with the goal of high performance (ignition, ∼390 MW; wall loading ∼2.2 MW/m2) at minimum capital cost. The preconceptual effort will be completed in early FY 1984 and a selection made from the indicated options. The TFCD is judged to represent a reasonable necessary step between the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) and the Engineering Test Reactor (ETR).