Progress in magnetic fusion energy research

Author

Thomassen, Keith I.

Author_Institution

Lawrence Livermore Nat. Lab., CA, USA

Volume

81

Issue

3

fYear

1993

fDate

3/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

390

Lastpage

398

Abstract

The remarkable scientific progress that has been made in the Magnetic Fusion Energy Program since its inception 40 years ago is reviewed. This formalized international collaborative effort of design and development for a 1000-MW experimental reactor (ITER) has been entered into by the United States, Russia, Japan, and the European Community. In the United States, a national project to build a superconducting steady-state advanced tokamak (SSAT) to improve the reactor prospects of fusion is underway. Beginning with a quick summary of fundamentals, progress in research is traced through major steps in the program. This study concludes with a view of the future and of the problems remaining to be overcome before a demonstration (demo) power plant can be built by the 2025 date given in the US National Energy Strategy

Keywords

fusion reactor theory and design; nuclear power stations; 1000 MW; ITER; magnetic fusion energy research; power plant; superconducting steady-state advanced tokamak; Environmental economics; Fuel economy; Fusion power generation; Inductors; Plasma confinement; Plasma temperature; Power generation; Power generation economics; Superconducting magnets; Tokamaks;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Proceedings of the IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9219

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/5.241489

Filename

241489