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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.
Ph. Moreau, S. Bremond, D. Douai, A. Geraud, P. Hertout, M. Lennholm, D. Mazon, F. Saint-Laurent, Tore Supra Team
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 56 | Number 3 | October 2009 | Pages 1284-1299
Technical Papers | Tore Supra Special Issue | doi.org/10.13182/FST09-A9178
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Tore Supra tokamak is devoted to long-duration, high-performance plasma research. The real-time measurements and control (RTMC) system has been developed to address the basic tokamak controls, such as plasma equilibrium and density control. Over the years, more and more sophisticated and demanding controls have been implemented, allowing the improvement of plasma performance and machine protection. This includes current profile control to enhance the performance and to avoid magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, infrared monitoring of plasma-facing components to prevent overheating, and disruption detection and mitigation techniques. Most of these improvements are relevant to the plasma operation in a full steady-state regime. This paper describes the present status of the Tore Supra RTMC system, detailing recent progress and highlighting the advantages of the various control schemes implemented so far.