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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.
L. C. Cadwallader
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 15 | Number 2 | March 1989 | Pages 815-820
Safety and Environment — I | doi.org/10.13182/FST89-A39795
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
As fusion experiments proceed toward deuterium-tritium operation, more attention is being given to public safety. This paper presents the four classes of functions that fusion experiments must provide to assure safe, stable shutdown and retention of radionuclides. These functions are referred to as critical safety functions (CSFs). Selecting CSFs is an important step in probabilistic risk assessment (PRA). An example of CSF selection and usage for the Compact Ignition Tokamak (CIT) is also presented. aWork supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Research, Office of Fusion Energy, under DOE Contract No. DE-AC07-76ID01570.