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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.
A.V. Arzhannikov, V.T. Astrelin, A.V. Burdakov, I.A. Ivanov, V.S. Koidan, K.I. Mekler, S.V. Polosatkin, V.V. Postupaev, A.F. Rovenskikh, S.L. Sinitsky
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 43 | Number 1 | January 2003 | Pages 172-176
Transport and Confinement | doi.org/10.13182/FST03-A11963587
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Experiments on plasma heating by a high power electron beam at the GOL-3 facility have shown, that ion temperature with a multiple mirror configuration of the magnetic field is much higher than for plasma heating in a simple solenoid. A new mechanism of fast collective heating of a plasma ions is suggested. The efficiency of the heating depends on local density of the beam electrons. In the corrugated magnetic field this creates a periodical longitudinal variation of plasma pressure during the beam injection. Then the pressure gradients result in plasma motion towards the midplane of each magnetic cell. Numerical simulations and special experiments demonstrate that fast thermalization of the energy of the directed plasma motion occurs. This mechanism requires about one ion-ion collision time that is much faster than usual electron-to-ion energy transfer time.