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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.
Fumito Okino, Laetitia Frances, David Demange, Ryuta Kasada, Satoshi Konishi
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 71 | Number 4 | May 2017 | Pages 575-583
Technical Note | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2017.1290972
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Quantitative feasibility analysis of the tritium recovery efficiency from multiple columns of liquid PbLi droplets was conducted. Then a case study based on the HCLL specification was performed. Main concern was whether the experimentally obtained recovery efficiency from a column of droplets is applicable for the efficiency estimation from the multiple columns of droplets without any mutual degrading effects. To maintaining a safe side assumption, the tritium once released and reabsorbed on another droplet was considered to be not re-emitted while falling. By the analogy with the thermal radiation theory, the view factor which expresses the intersection ratio of radiation on another surface was applied for the estimation. The dependences on nozzle design parameters, such as nozzle pitch, number of nozzles, chamber wall clearance, and exhaust port design, were investigated. Case study results suggest that, by choosing well-suited parameters approximately 40% to 60% of the single column recovery efficiency was secured for multiple columns even on the conservative condition. The release chamber exhaust port design had a major influence. Nozzle pitch and array design have less influences, but are not negligible. However, it has to be experimentally verified to the scale-size effects and experimental programs are currently underway.