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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.
Massimo Zucchetti
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 30 | Number 3 | December 1996 | Pages 1501-1505
Safety and Environment | doi.org/10.13182/FST96-A11963162
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The passive safety strategy for fusion can be summarized as three options: Inventory-based passive safety, Mobility-based passive safety, and Confinement-based passive safety. The determination of the dose limits for the public must follow a risk-based approach, where “risk” is the product of frequency times consequence. Ignitor is a high magnetic field tokamak, aimed at studying the physics of ignited plasmas. The site chosen for construction is the nuclear site of Saluggia (Northern Italy). The safety goal for Ignitor is the classification as a mobility-based passively safe machine. This choice is based on several assessments, and application of the ALARA principle. Evaluation of plant inventories and operation, and experience from other fusion machines have lead to conclusion that the above limits are the lowest reasonably achievable. The limits, however stringent, to not present a burden to plant operations. A comparison of Ignitor and ITER risk-based curves is finally carried out.