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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.
Kenneth Evans, Jr., Charles C. Baker, Jeffrey N. Brooks, Robert G. Clemmer, David A. Ehst, Patricia A. Finn, Harold Herman, Jungchung Jung, Richard F. Mattas, Balabhadra Misra, Dale L. Smith, Herbert C. Stevens, Larry R. Turner, Robert B. Wehrle, Kevin M. Barry, Albert E. Bolon, Robert T. McGrath, Lester M. Waganer
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 4 | Number 2 | September 1983 | Pages 226-236
Technical Paper | Special Section Content / Fusion Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/FST4-2P1-226
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
WILDCAT is a conceptual design of a catalyzed deuterium-deuterium tokamak commercial fusion reactor. WILDCAT utilizes the beneficial features of no tritium breeding, while not extrapolating unnecessarily from existing deuterium-tritium (D-T) designs. The reactor is larger and has higher magnetic fields and plasma pressures than typical D-T devices. It is more costly, but eliminates problems associated with tritium breeding and has tritium inventories and throughputs approximately two orders of magnitude less than typical D-T reactors. There are both a steady-state version with Alfvén-wave current drive and a pulsed version. Extensive comparison with D-T devices has been made, and cost and safety analyses have been included. All of the major reactor systems have been worked out to a level of detail appropriate to a complete conceptual design.