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Fusion Energy
This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
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ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
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The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Latest News
First astatine-labeled compound shipped in the U.S.
The Department of Energy’s National Isotope Development Center (NIDC) on March 31 announced the successful long-distance shipment in the United States of a biologically active compound labeled with the medical radioisotope astatine-211 (At-211). Because previous shipments have included only the “bare” isotope, the NIDC has described the development as “unleashing medical innovation.”
Yoshi Hirooka
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 52 | Number 4 | November 2007 | Pages 1040-1044
Technical Paper | Plasma Engineering and Diagnostics | doi.org/10.13182/FST07-A1632
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
For the successful steady state operation of deuterium-tritium (DT) fusion reactors, helium (He) ash needs to be removed continuously from the burning core, along with unburned hydrogenic fuel particles, to sustain the power generation. This will require enormous particle pumping capabilities despite the fact that helium is the most difficult gas to be pumped by means of cryogenic condensation. In the present work, zero-dimensional, four-reservoir (core-plasma, SOL-plasma, gas-phase, and wall material) global particle balance modeling has been conducted for both DT-fuel and He-ash particles. Modeling results indicate that, for the density control of He-ash particles in the burning core, passive wall pumping via codeposition with eroded plasma-facing materials would definitely be necessary to compensate for the lack of pumping speed provided by conventional vacuum equipment. Recent experimental data on helium codeposition with lithium have been used as input for modeling and results indicate that lithium-gettered moving-surface plasma-facing components can meet the He-ash pumping requirements.