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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.
John M. Dawson
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 22 | Number 1 | August 1992 | Pages 98-102
Technical Paper | D-3He/Fusion Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/FST92-A30058
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Nonenergy applications of fusion reactors are considered. The direct use of the 14.7-MeV protons from the D-3He reaction for the production of positron-emitting isotopes for medical, industrial, and scientific uses is explored in some detail. Inside a working D-3He reactor, the 14.7-MeV proton flux is of the order of 1022 cm2/s. The conversion of fertile nuclei to useful nuclei can be very prolific. Since the value of such isotopes can be very high (approximately $1012/g), it is possible to have an economical reactor for a machine that just breaks even or is even below breakeven in energy terms. Existing research devices can produce interesting quantities of isotopes for experimental and demonstration purposes. A major problem is the development of a demand for the large quantities of positron emitters that could be produced. If such a source of isotopes were to exist, as with many new developments, the demand would probably follow.