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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.
Günther Kessler, Ulrich von Möllendorff
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 11 | Number 2 | March 1987 | Pages 374-399
Technical Paper | Fusion Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/FST87-A25015
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
An introduction to and overview of conceptual system designs for heavy-ion beam driven inertial confinement fusion power generation is presented. The basic properties and parameters of the three main system components-the pellet, the driver, and the reactor chamber-are treated with emphasis on their interrelations. Some technical details are discussed for reactor chambers but not for pellets and drivers, for which considerable specialized literature exists. A few published system designs are briefly presented. Environmental and safety properties are considered, and costs are discussed.