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2025 ANS Winter Conference & Expo
November 9–12, 2025
Washington, DC|Washington Hilton
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Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
IAEA again raises global nuclear power projections
Noting recent momentum behind nuclear power, the International Atomic Energy Agency has revised up its projections for the expansion of nuclear power, estimating that global nuclear operational capacity will more than double by 2050—reaching 2.6 times the 2024 level—with small modular reactors expected to play a pivotal role in this high-case scenario.
IAEA director general Rafael Mariano Grossi announced the new projections, contained in the annual report Energy, Electricity, and Nuclear Power Estimates for the Period up to 2050 at the 69th IAEA General Conference in Vienna.
In the report’s high-case scenario, nuclear electrical generating capacity is projected to increase to from 377 GW at the end of 2024 to 992 GW by 2050. In a low-case scenario, capacity rises 50 percent, compared with 2024, to 561 GW. SMRs are projected to account for 24 percent of the new capacity added in the high case and for 5 percent in the low case.
Takashi Mutoh, Ryuhei Kumazawa, Tetsuo Seki, Fujio Simpo, Goro Nomura, Tsuyoshi Ido, Tetsuo Watari, Jean-Marie Noterdaeme, Yanping Zhao
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 35 | Number 3 | May 1999 | Pages 297-308
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/FST35-297
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Steady-state ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) heating technologies have been developed to heat plasma for >30 min in the Large Helical Device (LHD). Steady-state-operation tests of high voltages up to 40 kV0p for >30 min were carried out on radio-frequency (rf) vacuum feedthroughs and a coaxial transmission line in a test set. Four types of ceramic feedthroughs, each having a 240-mm diameter, were tested. Cone-type alumina ceramic and cylinder-type silicon nitride composite-ceramic feedthroughs produced good performances of 40 kV/30 min and 50 kV/10 s. The others had vacuum leaks when subjected to long-pulse duration. The temperature of the cone-type alumina ceramic feedthrough was measured during the ICRF operations. By using gas-cooling techniques, the temperature increase of the ceramic was substantially reduced and saturated within 20 min. Without any gas-cooling techniques, the temperature increased linearly and did not saturate. Therefore, this approach could not be used for steady-state operation. The rf dissipation on the ceramic was calculated using the ANSYS finite element computer code. It was found that damaged feedthroughs had local high heat spots, which could result in vacuum leaks. A 240-mm-diam water-cooled coaxial transmission line was designed and tested for steady-state operation. Specially designed connector components and Teflon insulator disks were tested. During the test operation, the insulation gases of nitrogen, sulfur hexafluoride, and carbon dioxide were used to compare their insulation capabilities for steady state. For the duration of a 10-s pulse, these gases performed well up to 60 kV0p. However, for steady-state operation, carbon dioxide gas could not withstand voltages >40 kV0p. The connector components of the transmission line performed without problems below 50 kV0p and 1 kA0p for 30-min steady-state operation. The performance of the feedthroughs and transmission line exceeded the specifications for steady-state heating in the LHD.