ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Feb 2026
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2026
Nuclear Technology
February 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
January 2026
Latest News
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.
J. W. Lue, L. Dresner, K. Koizumi,† M. S. Lubell, J. N. Luton, S. S. Shen, G. R. Zahn,§ J. A. Zichy‡
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 8 | Number 1 | July 1985 | Pages 800-816
Magnet Engineering | Proceedings of the Sixth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (San Francisco, California, March 3-7, 1985) | doi.org/10.13182/FST85-A40133
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Preliminary performance tests of two large super conducting magnets have been carried out in the International Fusion Superconducting Magnet Test Facility (IFSMTF). Each of the Japanese (JA) and General Dynamics/Convair (GD) coils was operated up to its full design current of 10.2 kA with the other serving as an adjacent background coil at 40% of design current, Cryostatic stability was demonstrated for both coils by noting recovery from a full half-turn (5 m) driven normal. A new pick-up coil compensation scheme was successfully used for the quench detection system. Each coil remained superconducting when the other was dumped. Unique instrumentation was used to measure changes in bore dimensions and displacement of the winding from the coil case. Agreement between structural analysis and measurement of bore dimension changes resulting from magnetic loads is good. The Swiss (CH) coil underwent only a cryogenic test. The forced cooling worked well and an inlet temperature of 3.8 K was demonstrated.