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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.
I. N. Sviatoslavsky, A. R. Raffray, M. E. Sawan, X. Wang
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 47 | Number 3 | April 2005 | Pages 535-539
Technical Paper | Fusion Energy - First Wall, Blanket, and Shield | doi.org/10.13182/FST05-A739
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A multi-institutional study HAPL (High Average Power Laser) is investigating a relatively near term conceptual design of a laser driven inertial confinement reactor. A primary focus of the study is the protection of the first wall (FW) from the target emanations. This paper gives a brief analysis of one of several possible blankets that can be integrated with the chosen FW protection scheme. The structural material is conventional ferritic steel (FS) F82H cooled with liquid lithium. The maximum average temperature is constrained to 550°C. The chamber radius is 6.5 m at midplane, tapering to 2.5 m at the ends, and is surrounded by a cylindrical vacuum vessel. The first wall (FW) is 0.35 cm FS, which has a 0.1 cm thick layer of tungsten bonded to it facing the target. The FW is cooled with Li admitted at the bottom of the blanket, flows through a gap between 0.25-0.5 cm to the top, then returns through the center of the blanket channel to the bottom. There are 60 laser beam ports situated around the chamber. The tritium breeding ratio (TBR) is 1.124. A Brayton cycle is envisaged with an efficiency in the range of 42-44%.