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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.
Herbert Daniel
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 20 | Number 2 | September 1991 | Pages 222-224
Technical Note | Fusion Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/FST91-A29692
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A muon-catalyzed fusion (µCF) reactor uses the negative muon to catalyze deuteron-triton (d-t) fusion via dµt molecules. The novel reactor whose concept is outlined works with the deuterium-tritium (D-T) mixture in a single volume within a magnetic bottle. This volume serves simultaneously for pion production, pion decay into muons, muon stopping, d-t fusion, and muon reactivation. The pions are produced by proton bombardment of the D-T. The muon reactivation is done by stripping off the muons from muonic alpha particles by continuously moving the muonic alpha particles in cyclotron resonance. The protons for pion production are injected through a hole in the bottle and are kept moving in cyclotron resonance as well. Energy is supplied to the protons and muonic alpha particles in the bottle by a rotating electric field of constant amplitude. Some details of the phase-space behavior of the moving protons and muonic alpha particles are given. An optimistic estimate leads to a net cost of W = 3 GeV per negative muon and an energy yield of Y = 50 GeV per negative muon, both energies in the form of heat.