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Smarter waste strategies: Helping deliver on the promise of advanced nuclear
At COP28, held in Dubai in 2023, a clear consensus emerged: Nuclear energy must be a cornerstone of the global clean energy transition. With electricity demand projected to soar as we decarbonize not just power but also industry, transport, and heat, the case for new nuclear is compelling. More than 20 countries committed to tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050. In the United States alone, the Department of Energy forecasts that the country’s current nuclear capacity could more than triple, adding 200 GW of new nuclear to the existing 95 GW by mid-century.
Ali E. Dabiri
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 12 | Number 2 | September 1987 | Pages 238-248
Fusion Reactors | doi.org/10.13182/FST87-A11963782
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Systems studies have been performed to assess commercial tokamak options. Superconducting, as well as normal, magnet coils in either first or second stability regimes have been considered. A spherical torus (ST), as well as an elongated tokamak (ET), is included in this study. The cost of electricity (COE) is selected as the figure of merit, and beta and first-wall neutron wall loads are selected to represent the physics and technology characteristics of various options. The results indicate that an economical optimum for tokamaks requires a beta of ∼10% (achievable in the second stability regime) and a wall load of ∼5 MW/m2, which is assumed to be optimum technologically. This tokamak is expected to be competitive with fission plants if efficient, noninductive current drive is developed. However, if this regime cannot be attained, all other tokamaks operating in the first stability regime, including the ST and ET and assuming a limiting wall load of 5 MW/m2, will compete with each other with a COE of ∼50 mill/kW·h. This is 40% higher than the COE for the optimum reactor in the second stability regime with fast-wave current drive. The above conclusions pertain to a 1200-MW(electric) net electric power plant. A comparison was also made between ST, ET, and superconducting magnets in the second stability regime with fast-wave current drive at 600 MW(electric). The result indicates that the COE of an ET or ST device operating with the same technology requirement (wall load) as a superconducting magnet tokamak is about the same as the COE of a superconducting magnet tokamak in the second stability regime. Therefore, a device like ST or ET appears more attractive in ratings lower than 1200 MW(electric).
