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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.
T.E. Luzzi, I.R. Clarkson
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 10 | Number 3 | November 1986 | Pages 908-913
Innovative Concepts for Power Conversion | Proceedings of the Seveth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (Reno, Nevada, June 15–19, 1986) | doi.org/10.13182/FST86-A24852
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
We report on the final design of the direct converter for MINIMARS, a tandem mirror power reactor project at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The project objectives are to design a plant to produce electricity at less than 50 mils/kWh and design an inherently safe plasma shutdown and heat transport system that sustains no damage from loss of coolant and loss of flow. The direct converter coolant like the blanket coolant is used to generate primary turbine steam. All thermo and structural load bearing elements are designed for the reactor lifetime. The halo scraper sputter lifetime is five full power years. The power to circulate the helium coolant through the direct converter elements is less than 5% of the thermal power recovered.