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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.
Daren P. Stotler, Glenn Bateman
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 15 | Number 1 | January 1989 | Pages 12-28
Technical Paper | Plasma Engineering | doi.org/10.13182/FST89-A25320
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Detailed simulations of the Compact Ignition Tokamak are carried out using a 1½-dimensional transport code. The calculations include time-varying densities, fields, and plasma shape. Ignition can be achieved in this device if somewhat better than L-mode energy confinement time scaling is possible. The performance of such a compact, short-pulse device can depend greatly on how the plasma is evolved to its flattop parameters. Furthermore, in cases such as the ones discussed here, where there is not a great deal of ignition margin and the electron density is held constant, ignition ends if the helium ash is not removed. In general, control of the deuterium-tritium density is equivalent to burn control.