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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.
W. R. Meier, M. J. Monsler, W. J. Schafer, R. F. Bourque, I. N. Sviatoslavsky
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 20 | Number 4 | December 1991 | Pages 808-812
Inertial Confinement Fusion | doi.org/10.13182/FST91-A11946940
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fusion Energy, has sponsored two teams to conduct conceptual design studies of Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) electric power plants. W. J. Schafer Associates is heading an experienced team of fusion technology experts from Bechtel, General Atomics, Textron Defense Systems, and the University of Wisconsin. Our team is designing two 1000 MWe power plants, one driven by a KrF laser and the other by a heavy ion beam (HIB) induction accelerator. In this paper we report on the progress of the reactor chamber designs.