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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.
S. Pemberton, C. Jantzen, J. Kuhn, P.F. Peterson
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 39 | Number 2 | March 2001 | Pages 726-731
Chamber Technology | doi.org/10.13182/FST01-A11963325
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Thick-liquid pockets can minimize the final-focus standoff for heavy-ion inertial fusion and substantially simplify materials requirements. Scaled water experiments have now demonstrated the creation of single stationary and oscillating jets suitable for forming a variety of potential pocket geometries. Efforts are now beginning to study multiple jet interactions, particularly those that occur during pocket disruption and regeneration, including droplet generation and clearing. Initially these experiments will consider the interactions of smaller clusters of jets, creating scaled “partial” pockets. This paper presents scaling analysis and experiments to show that cartridges loaded with smokeless gunpowder can match, in scaled water-jet experiments, the impulse-induced trajectories and clearing phenomena that IFE targets would generate with molten salt jets.