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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.
H. Kislev, B. J. Micklich
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 10 | Number 3 | November 1986 | Pages 686-691
Inertial Confinement Fusion Driver Technology | Proceedings of the Seveth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (Reno, Nevada, June 15–19, 1986) | doi.org/10.13182/FST86-A24822
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The initiation of straight breakdown paths has been identified as the key issue of the LIB propagation channel formation scheme in the HWIFR dense atmosphere. Straight preionization trails have been suggested as means for guiding the breakdown along the designated beamlines. A multi-group Boltzmann equation solver has been constructed for estimating the capability of several preionizers to induce such trails in dense D2O vapors. A new approach capable of predicting the steady state streamer wave shape is used to estimate the minimum conditions for launching a streamer in the preionized path. The electrical resistance of the trail during the streamer propagation is evaluated with a simple one dimensional routine. Finally the transition of the streamer-induced ionized filament to a multi-kA-carrying plasma channel is simulated with a modified radiation MHD code. Other results of this study, including the determination of the preionizer intensity and the minimum applied potential required for the initiation, are presented in this paper.