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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.
Masami Ohnishi, Shoichi Ohi, Masao Okamoto, Hiromu Momota, Jiro Wakabayashi
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 12 | Number 2 | September 1987 | Pages 249-256
Plasma Engineering | doi.org/10.13182/FST87-A11963783
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A self-ignition of a deuterium-deuterium (D-D)-3He fuel field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasma by fusion product heating is studied by using the point plasma model, where an FRC plasma equilibrium is taken into account. It is numerically demonstrated that the D-D-3He plasma can be evolved from a deuterium-tritium burning plasma in a controlled manner by means of a compression-decompression control as well as a fueling control. It is also indicated that the increase of a trapped flux is effective for suppressing the excessive elongation of a plasma during the transition. The proposed method may provide a solution to the problem on plasma heating to attain a D-D-3He self-ignition.