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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.
M. Cengher, J. Lohr, I. A. Gorelov, W. H. Grosnickle, D. Ponce, P. Johnson
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 55 | Number 2 | February 2009 | Pages 213-218
Technical Paper | Electron Cyclotron Emission and Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating | doi.org/10.13182/FST09-A4073
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The measurement of the power injected by the electron cyclotron heating (ECH) system in the DIII-D tokamak is a critical requirement for analysis of experiments, for tuning the gyrotrons for maximum power and efficiency, for tracking long-term operational trends, and for providing a warning of problems with the system. The ECH system at General Atomics consists of six 110-GHz, 1-MW-class gyrotrons. The radio-frequency (rf) power generated by each gyrotron is determined from calorimetry, using the relevant temperature and flow measurements from the cooling circuits of the cavity, matching optics unit, and dummy loads (DLs). The rf pulse length and time dependence are measured using an rf monitor at the first miter bend in the transmission line. The cavity power loading measured directly gives the generated rf power using a previously determined relationship between cavity loading and rf production. The direct measurement of the efficiencies of four of the transmission lines was performed using a high-power DL placed alternately in two positions of each DIII-D waveguide line, at accessible points close to the beginning and the end of each line. Total losses in the transmission lines range from 21.2 to 30.7%. Experimental results are compared to theoretical predictions of the performance of the components and waveguide lines.