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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. C. Geer, T. A. Parish
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 4 | Number 2 | September 1983 | Pages 161-166
Hybrids and Nonelectric Applications | doi.org/10.13182/FST83-A22861
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Fissile fuel producing blankets for both D-D and D-T fusion reactors are designed based on a slurry concept. In the designs, the blanket is composed of a slurry of ThO2 particles carried by heavy water. The slurry serves both to cool the reactor and to breed fissile fuel. Neutronic and photonic calculations showed that the slurry blankets achieved performance comparable to alternative concepts (moltensalts, fixed fertile material). For the slurry concept to be useful for a D-T reactor, a neutron multiplier needed to be used. The fast fission rate in the slurry blankets was small. Fission of the bred fissile material can be limited by removal of the ThO2 particles for processing after 5–10 days of irradiation.