Magnetic Fusion Energy

Magnetic Fusion Energy

by George Neilson
Released June 2016
Publisher(s): Woodhead Publishing
ISBN: 9780081003268

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Book description

Magnetic Fusion Energy: From Experiments to Power Plants is a timely exploration of the field, giving readers an understanding of the experiments that brought us to the threshold of the ITER era, as well as the physics and technology research needed to take us beyond ITER to commercial fusion power plants.

With the start of ITER construction, the world’s magnetic fusion energy (MFE) enterprise has begun a new era. The ITER scientific and technical (S&T) basis is the result of research on many fusion plasma physics experiments over a period of decades.

Besides ITER, the scope of fusion research must be broadened to create the S&T basis for practical fusion power plants, systems that will continuously convert the energy released from a burning plasma to usable electricity, operating for years with only occasional interruptions for scheduled maintenance.

  • Provides researchers in academia and industry with an authoritative overview of the significant fusion energy experiments
  • Considers the pathway towards future development of magnetic fusion energy power plants
  • Contains experts contributions from editors and others who are well known in the field

Table of contents

  1. Cover image
  2. Title page
  3. Table of Contents
  4. Related titles
  5. Copyright
  6. List of contributors
  7. Woodhead Publishing Series in Energy
  8. Part One. Magnetic fusion issues
    1. 1. Introduction: The journey to magnetic fusion energy
    2. 2. Plasma performance, burn and sustainment
      1. 2.1. Introduction
      2. 2.2. Key fusion plasma physics areas related to performance, burn and sustainment
      3. 2.3. Requirements for a fusion reactor
      4. 2.4. The present status of physics research and future prospects
      5. 2.5. Summary and outlook
    3. 3. Plasma exhaust
      1. 3.1. Introduction
      2. 3.2. Plasma exhaust
      3. 3.3. Transients and 3D effects on plasma exhaust
      4. 3.4. PMI and materials options
      5. 3.5. Recent challenges
      6. 3.6. Outlook and summary
    4. 4. Power extraction and tritium self-sufficiency
      1. 4.1. Introduction
      2. 4.2. Power extraction
      3. 4.3. Tritium production
  9. Part Two. Experiments: scientific foundations for ITER
    1. 5. ASDEX Upgrade
      1. 5.1. Introduction
      2. 5.2. The ASDEX Upgrade device
      3. 5.3. Plasma wall interaction
      4. 5.4. Pedestal and H-mode physics
      5. 5.5. Power exhaust
      6. 5.6. MHD modes and disruptions
      7. 5.7. Scenario development
      8. 5.8. Summary and outlook
    2. 6. The Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor
      1. 6.1. Introduction
      2. 6.2. TFTR design and capabilities
      3. 6.3. TFTR operational regimes: requirements, characteristics and limitations
      4. 6.4. Main physics results from TFTR (not D-T specific)
      5. 6.5. Results from the D-T experiments in TFTR
      6. 6.6. Summary
    3. 7. JT-60U
      1. 7.1. Introduction
      2. 7.2. Upgrade to JT-60U
      3. 7.3. Confinement innovation
      4. 7.4. Heat and particle control
      5. 7.5. Heating and current drive
      6. 7.6. Future directions
      7. 7.7. Conclusions
    4. 8. Joint European Torus
      1. 8.1. Introduction
      2. 8.2. Engineering for a fusion reactor
      3. 8.3. Fusion diagnostics
      4. 8.4. Disruptions
      5. 8.5. Plasma-wall interactions
      6. 8.6. Scrape-off layer and divertor physics
      7. 8.7. Transport and confinement
      8. 8.8. Stability
      9. 8.9. High-fusion performance
      10. 8.10. Fusion physics
    5. 9. Tore Supra—WEST
      1. 9.1. Background and objectives of Tore Supra
      2. 9.2. Plant overview
      3. 9.3. Main achievements
      4. 9.4. Preparing ITER operation: the WEST project
      5. 9.5. Conclusions and perspectives
    6. 10. Alcator C-Mod and the high magnetic field approach to fusion
      1. 10.1. Introduction
      2. 10.2. C-Mod engineering and technical innovations
      3. 10.3. Divertor and boundary physics
      4. 10.4. Pedestal and edge barrier regimes
      5. 10.5. Core turbulence and transport
      6. 10.6. ICRF technology and physics
      7. 10.7. Implications and future directions for high-field tokamak research
  10. Part Three. Experiments: developing the basis for going beyond ITER
    1. 11. National Spherical Torus eXperiment
      1. 11.1. Introduction
      2. 11.2. Transport and turbulence
      3. 11.3. Macroscopic stability
      4. 11.4. Energetic particles
      5. 11.5. Boundary physics
      6. 11.6. Solenoid-free operation and wave physics
      7. 11.7. NSTX-Upgrade
    2. 12. The mega amp spherical tokamak
      1. 12.1. The MAST device
      2. 12.2. Key scientific achievements of 15years of MAST research
      3. 12.3. The upgrade to MAST
    3. 13. Experimental advanced superconducting tokamak
      1. 13.1. EAST mission and orientation
      2. 13.2. Main progress and achievements on the EAST tokamak
      3. 13.3. Future contributions to closing gaps for fusion reactor
    4. 14. JT-60SA
      1. 14.1. Project mission
      2. 14.2. Roles of JT-60SA for ITER and DEMO
      3. 14.3. Characteristics of the device and plasma parameters
      4. 14.4. JT-60SA research regimes
      5. 14.5. Summary
    5. 15. Large helical device
      1. 15.1. Mission and goals of the LHD project
      2. 15.2. Design concept of LHD
      3. 15.3. Plasma production and heating
      4. 15.4. Characteristics of LHD plasma
      5. 15.5. Engineering performance of LHD
      6. 15.6. Prospects for fusion power plant from the LHD
      7. 15.7. Summary
    6. 16. Wendelstein 7-X
      1. 16.1. The stellarator concept
      2. 16.2. The physics goals of Wendelstein 7-X
      3. 16.3. The optimized stellarator Wendelstein 7-X
      4. 16.4. Construction of Wendelstein 7-X
      5. 16.5. Initial research phases on Wendelstein 7-X
      6. 16.6. Summary
  11. Part Four. Key technological elements of magnetic fusion energy power plants and future fusion power plants
    1. 17. Heating, current drive and fuelling of magnetic fusion power plants
      1. 17.1. Introduction
      2. 17.2. Heating, current drive and fuelling roles
      3. 17.3. Heating and current drive system requirements for power plants
      4. 17.4. Fuelling systems for power plants
      5. 17.5. Summary and conclusion
    2. 18. Diagnostics for magnetic fusion power plants
      1. 18.1. Introduction
      2. 18.2. Current applications
      3. 18.3. Measurement needs for power plants
      4. 18.4. Environmental and contextual constraints
      5. 18.5. Outlook to potential system implementations
      6. 18.6. Summary
    3. 19. Stellarator fusion power plants
      1. 19.1. Introduction
      2. 19.2. The force-free helical reactor
      3. 19.3. The helical-axis advanced stellarator reactor
      4. 19.4. The compact stellarator
      5. 19.5. Summary and prospects
  12. Index

Product information

  • Title: Magnetic Fusion Energy
  • Author(s): George Neilson
  • Release date: June 2016
  • Publisher(s): Woodhead Publishing
  • ISBN: 9780081003268