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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.
Alan C. Janos, Masaaki Yamada
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 9 | Number 1 | January 1986 | Pages 58-68
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/FST86-A24701
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Inductive formation and sustainment of spheromaks are examined. The S-1 device utilizes a flux core to form a spheromak inductively. Plasmas are observed to relax during formation toward a minimum energy state, independent of initial conditions. Inductive sustainment of spheromaks is considered possible by utilizing this relaxation process. One method uses a poloidal flux transformer along the major axis, similar to the ohmic heating transformer in a tokamak. Alternatively, spheromaks can be established with the outermost poloidal field lines linked around the flux core to provide coupling between the plasma and external circuits. The spheromak configuration then can be sustained by oscillating the currents in the poloidal and toroidal field coils within the flux core. These proposed current drive schemes are investigated using the concept of magnetic helicity injection.