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The Mission of the Robotics and Remote Systems Division is to promote the development and application of immersive simulation, robotics, and remote systems for hazardous environments for the purpose of reducing hazardous exposure to individuals, reducing environmental hazards and reducing the cost of performing work.
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Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Take steps on SNF and HLW disposal
Matt Bowen
With a new administration and Congress, it is time once again to ponder what will happen—if anything—on U.S. spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste management policy over the next few years. One element of the forthcoming discussion seems clear: The executive and legislative branches are eager to talk about recycling commercial SNF. Whatever the merits of doing so, it does not obviate the need for one or more facilities for disposal of remaining long-lived radionuclides. For that reason, making progress on U.S. disposal capabilities remains urgent, lest the associated radionuclide inventories simply be left for future generations to deal with.
In March, Rick Perry, who was secretary of energy during President Trump’s first administration, observed that during his tenure at the Department of Energy it became clear to him that any plan to move SNF “required some practical consent of the receiving state and local community.”1
J. Rapp, A. Lumsdaine, C. J. Beers, T. M. Biewer, T. S. Bigelow, J. F. Caneses, J. B. O. Caughman, R. H. Goulding, N. Kafle, C. H. Lau, E. Lindquist, P. A. Piotrowicz, H. Ray, M. Showers, the MPEX Team
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 75 | Number 7 | October 2019 | Pages 654-663
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2019.1610315
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Prototype Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (Proto-MPEX) is being used to qualify the plasma source and heating systems for the Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (MPEX). The MPEX will address important and urgent research needs on plasma material interactions for future fusion reactors. In MPEX, plasma-facing components (nonirradiated and a priori neutron irradiated) will be exposed to plasma conditions as they are expected in future fusion reactors. The MPEX, a steady-state device enabled by superconducting magnets, will be able to break into new ground by assessing plasma-facing materials and components at an ion fluence level in the range of 1030 to 1031 m−2. To achieve the relevant plasma conditions, high-density plasmas (>4 × 1019 m−3) are produced with a high-power helicon source. The so-produced low-temperature helicon plasma is then additionally heated with waves in the ion cyclotron resonance frequency and electron cyclotron resonance frequency domains. Proto-MPEX has achieved all key parameters (source ne, source Te, source Ti, target Te, target Ti, target ion flux, and target heat flux) within a factor of 2 of the design requirements of MPEX, albeit not simultaneously. These parameters were achieved with a total installed heating power of 330 kW, which is less than half of the planned heating power in the MPEX (800 kW). An overview of the latest results from Proto-MPEX is given. These results are shown in relationship to the MPEX system goals. Remaining necessary research and development tasks are discussed. The MPEX is currently in the conceptual design phase. The status of the design and an overview of the system requirements are presented.
