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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.
John L. Johnson,a
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 4 | Number 2 | September 1983 | Pages 1275-1283
Alternate Concepts | doi.org/10.13182/FST83-A23032
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Experimental and theoretical work on the stellarator concept has established its position as the best alternate concept for fusion power. Its plasma properties are comparable to, or better than, those obtained in comparable tokamak devices. Confinement and transport should be adequate for reactor operation, with high-β operation possible. Although the coil configurations in present experiments are complicated, stellarator reactors could be simpler than tokamaks. The possibilities of steady-state operation, little recirculating power, good start-up and control properties, no disruptions, modular construction, and a built-in divertor make it an obvious direction for tokamak evolution as well as a viable alternate concept in its own right.