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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.
M. R. Holliday, J. M. Doster, J. G. Gilligan
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 10 | Number 3 | November 1986 | Pages 782-788
Impurity Control | Proceedings of the Seveth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (Reno, Nevada, June 15–19, 1986) | doi.org/10.13182/FST86-A24835
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Heat Balance Integral Technique is developed to solve for the surface melting and ablation rates when a material is subjected to a high heat flux. Ejection of melt layer material is included in the analysis since external forces (electric and magnetic) are prominent for applications such as fusion plasma disruptions. The Integral Technique has been found to be relatively fast and accurate as compared with finite difference formulations which makes it an ideal candidate for inclusion in larger plasma simulation codes. Molten material ejection was determined to dramatically increase surface erosion during a fusion disruption.