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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.
E. H. Lundgren, A. C. Forsman
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 55 | Number 3 | April 2009 | Pages 325-330
Technical Paper | Eighteenth Target Fabrication Specialists' Meeting | doi.org/10.13182/FST09-A6958
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A variety of shaped fill holes is needed in beryllium capsules for inertial confinement fusion experiments to allow for pyrolysis of the plastic (CH) mandrels, deuterium (D2) or deuterium-tritium gas fill, and fill tube attachments. The holes required include through-holes ranging in diameters from ~5 to 30 m and counterbores ranging in diameters from ~13 to 17 m with depths <37 m. These holes are laser drilled using a double-pulse nanosecond format. Hole diameter and depth can be controlled by altering pulse format, energy, and beam delivery optics. Furthermore, according to National Ignition Campaign specifications, there is a tight tolerance for perturbations on capsule surfaces, so we have developed a technique to eliminate material redeposition through the use of sacrificial foils stretched over the targeted areas.