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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.
R.R. Peterson, G.A. Moses, R.L. Engelstad, D.L. Henderson, G.L. Kulcinski, E.G. Lovell, M.E. Sawan, I.N. Sviatoslavsky, J.J. Watrous, R.E. Olson, D.L. Cook
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 8 | Number 1 | July 1985 | Pages 1895-1900
Inertial Confinement Fusion Reactor | Proceedings of the Sixth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (San Francisco, California, March 3-7, 1985) | doi.org/10.13182/FST85-A40038
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Light Ion Fusion Target Development Facility (TDF) is expected to test approximately ten targets per day having yields in the 50 to 800 MJ range. This large number of high yield micro-explosions creates design problems in the TDF that are not present in PBFA-I and PBFA-II. The TDF would be the first light ion facility where radioactivity in the target debris and induced in the facility itself constitute a biological hazard. It must have a first wall and a target diagnostics package that can survive repeated mechanical and thermal pulses from the target microexplosions. In addition, the repetition rate is much higher than for present day light ion beam drivers. A preliminary conceptual design for the TDF including a reaction chamber, biological shield, target diagnostics package and driver that addresses these and other problems is presented.