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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.
Daigo Tsuru et al.
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 56 | Number 2 | August 2009 | Pages 875-882
Test Blanket Modules | Eighteenth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (Part 2) | doi.org/10.13182/FST09-A9021
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Development of Water Cooled Solid Breeder (WCSB) TBM, the primary candidate of ITER Test Blanket Module (TBM), has been performed in Japan, according to the TBM milestones, which are necessary for acceptance of the TBM in ITER for testing from the first day of plasma operation. The TBM milestones consist of milestones on safety assessment, module qualification and design integration in ITER. For the safety milestones, essential source terms were evaluated, and failure modes and effect analysis (FMEA) was performed. Based on the results of FMEA, safety assessment was performed. For the milestones of the design integration, detailed structural design of the TBM and the interface structure with the ITER test port were performed. Based on the design, performance analysis such as thermo-mechanical analysis in over-pressurization was performed. For the milestones of the qualification of fabrication technology, essential fabrication technology was developed and near full size first wall of the TBM was successfully fabricated and demonstration of the integrity in heat flux equivalent to ITER. The development of the WCSB TBM is showing steady progress toward the installation in ITER.