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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 R. Haines
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 8 | Number 1 | July 1985 | Pages 1259-1264
Impurity Control and Vacuum Technology | Proceedings of the Sixth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (San Francisco, California, March 3-7, 1985) | doi.org/10.13182/FST85-A39940
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Impurity control system design and performance studies were performed in support of the Tokamak Fusion Core Experiment (TFCX) preconceptual design. Efforts concentrated on the pumped limiter and vacuum pumping system design configuration, thermal/mechanical and erosion lifetime performance of the limiter protective surface, and helium ash removal performance. Analysis results indicate that the limiter/vacuum pumping system design provides marginally adequate helium ash removal. Difficulties in providing adequate helium ash removal for more compact or higher fusion-power-density devices are addressed. Erosion, primarily by disruption-induced vaporization and/or melting, limits the protective surface lifetime to about one calendar year or only about 60 full-power hours of operation. In addition to evaluating impurity control system performance for nominal TFCX conditions, these studies attempt to focus on the key plasma physics and engineering design issues that should be addressed in future research and development programs.