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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. Kunugi, M. Akiba, M. Ogawa, H. Ise, S. Yamazaki
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 21 | Number 3 | May 1992 | Pages 1863-1867
Plasma-Facing Component | doi.org/10.13182/FST92-A29990
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Several numerical codes were developed and used to evaluate the erosion thickness of the plasma facing wall. Some discrepancies of the results using the existing codes are pointed out. It is very important to understand the reason of the discrepancies. The analytical studies were performed to find the sensitivity of some factors on the results, such as boundary conditions, evaporation models and thermal properties. It was found that the temperature dependency effects of thermal conductivity and vapor pressure strongly affected the erosion results. Unfortunately, the results of this study cannot sufficiently explain the discrepancies. We would like to emphasize the necessity of the verification of the existing codes and numerical models, and the physical understanding.