ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Feb 2026
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2026
Nuclear Technology
February 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
January 2026
Latest News
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.
The Working Group on KARIN-I, A. Mohri, Y. Fujii-E, K. Ikuta, H. Momota, H. Naitou, Y. Nomura, Y. Tomita, M. Ohnishi, K. Yoshikawa, S. Inoue, M. Nishikawa, S.-Inoue Itoh, K. Kitamura, S. Nagao, H. Nakashima, M. Iwamoto, Y. Gomay, M. Kumagai, Y. Kawakita, Y. Suzuki, K. Okamoto, H. Matsunaga, H. Yoshizawa
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 9 | Number 3 | May 1986 | Pages 422-451
Technical Paper | Fusion Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/FST86-A24730
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A 650-MW(electric) deuterium-tritium fusion reactor, KARIN-I, has ten moving plasma rings, which are produced by relativistic electron beam injection, heated by a major radius compression, and transported into a linear cylindrical burning section by annularly flowing liquid lithium outside the silicon carbide first wall The liquid lithium not only stabilizes the tilting motion of the rings but also works as the tritium breeder and the main coolant. Energy from the ash-accumulated rings is efficiently recovered at the exit during the major radius expansion. The linear alignment of reactor components ensures easy assembly and disassembly, and also provides for easy maintenance. These features of the reactor result in a net electric output power of 650 MW(electric) with overall plant efficiency of 30%.