Connections between physics and economics for Tokamak fusion power plants

Krakowski, R.A.; Delene, J.G.

doi:10.1007/bf01108258

Cited by 15 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…We believe that the cost will depend largely upon the volume or weight of the components at the time when the required processing techniques for building fusion components have matured. We used the volumetric density and the unit costs in Refs [3,[15][16][17][18]. The costs of all the other equipment are calculated by a nonlinear scaling to a standard cost value, either by volume or by power.…”

Section: The Coe Calculation Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study of design parameters for minimizing the cost of electricity of tokamak fusion power reactors

et al. 1998

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The impact of the design parameters on the cost of electricity (COE) is studied through a parameter survey in order to minimize the COE. Three kinds of operating modes are considered; first stability (FS), second stability (SS) and reversed shear (RS). The COE is calculated by a coupled physics-engineering-cost computer system code. Deuterium-tritium type, 1000 MW(e) at electric bus bar, steady state tokamak reactors with aspect ratios A from 3 to 4.5 are assumed. Several criteria are used for the parameter survey; for example, (a) the thermal to electrical conversion efficiency is assumed to be 34.5% using water as a coolant; (b) the average neutron wall load must not exceed 5 MW/m 2 for plasma major radius Rp > 5 m; (c) a 2 MeV neutral beam injector (NBI) is applied. It is found that the RS operating mode most minimizes the COE among the three operating modes by reducing the cost of the current drive and the coils and structures. The cost-minimized RS reactor can attain high f bs , high βN and low q95 at the same time, which results in a short Rp of 5.1 m, a low Bmax of the maximum magnetic toroidal field (TF) of the TF coils of 13 T and a low A of 3.0. It can be concluded that this cost-minimized RS reactor is the most cost-minimized within the frameworks of this study. This cost-minimized RS reactor has two advantages: one is that a Bmax = 13 T TF coil can be made by use of ITER coil technology and the other is that the same cooling technology as that of ITER (water cooling) can be used.

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Section: The Coe Calculation Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study of design parameters for minimizing the cost of electricity of tokamak fusion power reactors

et al. 1998

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“…Reactor designs show a consistent trend towards increased MPD as studies have matured and economics is emphasized. These studies indicate that an MPD value of about 100 kW(e) per tonne of fusion power core is achievable and that further increases for tokamak-like devices yield only a moderate improvement in economics [18]. Other studies suggest that reactors with lower MPD values may also be economical [19,20] and it is recognized that the use of the MPD value is only a general indicator.…”

Section: Mfe Reactor Technology and Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Broadly based system studies, such as the Generomak [53] and ESECOM studies [18,54], point the way to economically competitive and environmentally acceptable fusion power through a careful choice of blanket materials and reactor configurations, together with moderate improvements in plasma performance and the development of efficient plasma sustaining systems (heating, current drive, magnets, etc.). Conceptual reactor design studies take the inputs of the system studies and translate them into fusion power embodiments which allow more detailed assessments of economics, environmental impact, safety and reliability.…”

Section: Economic Assessment Of Fusion Energy Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Economic, safety and environmental prospects of fusion reactors

Conn¹,

Holdren²,

Sharafat³

et al. 1990

Nucl. Fusion

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Controlled fusion energy is one of the long term, non-fossil energy sources available to mankind. It has the potential of significant advantages over fission nuclear power in that the consequences of severe accidents are predicted to be less and the radioactive waste burden is calculated to be smaller. Fusion can be an important ingredient in the future world energy mix and can be part of an 'insurance policy' energy strategy to develop new sources as a hedge against environmental, supply or political difficulties connected with the use of fossil fuel and present-day nuclear power. Progress in fusion reactor technology and design is described for both magnetic and inertial fusion energy systems. The projected economic prospects show that fusion will be capital intensive, and the historical trend is towards greater mass utilization efficiency and more competitive costs. Recent studies emphasizing safety and environmental advantages show that the competitive potential of fusion can be further enhanced by specific choices of materials and design. The safety and environmental prospects of fusion appear to exceed substantially those of advanced fission and coal. For example, the level of radioactivity in a low activation fusion reactor at 1 year and at 100 years after shutdown is calculated to be about one-millionth of the radioactivity in a fission reactor of the same power. Likewise, the maximum plausible dose predicted at the site boundary in the case of a low activation fusion reactor is estimated to be between 100 and 500 times smaller than that estimated for a fission power plant. Clearly, a significant and directed technology effort is necessary to achieve these advantages. Typical parameters have been established for magnetic fusion energy reactors, and a tokamak at moderately high magnetic field (about 7 T on axis) in the first regime of MHD stability (|8 s 3.5 I/aB) is closest to present experimental achievement. Further improvements of the economic and technological performance of the tokamak are possible through the following achievements: higher magnetic fields to lower the required plasma current and reactor size; higher values of the plasma beta, including reaching the second stable MHD regime, to lower the requirements on field and plasma current; and more efficient techniques to drive the plasma current. In addition, alternative, non-tokamak magnetic fusion approaches may offer substantive economic and operational benefits, although at present these concepts must be projected from a less developed physics base. For inertial fusion energy, reactor studies are at an earlier stage, but the essential requirements are a high efficiency ( ^ 10%) repetitively pulsed pellet driver capable of delivering up to 10 MJ of energy on target, targets capable of an energy gain (ratio of energy produced to energy on target) of about 100, reactor chambers capable of absorbing the energy released per shot at conditions consistent with power generation, and effective means of isolating the target chamber and driver system.

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“…The cost analysis is mainly based on the unit costs per weight which values are based on those of Refs. [8][9][10][11]. The cost of superconducting toroidal coil with weight W TFC is assumed as 0.114W TFC (t) [M$].…”

Section: Cost Accounting Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research on Economics and CO2 Emission of Magnetic and Inertial Fusion Reactors

Mori

Yamazaki

Oishi

et al. 2011

Plasma and Fusion Research

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An economical and environment-friendly fusion reactor system is needed for the realization of attractive power plants. Comparative system studies have been done for magnetic fusion energy (MFE) reactors, and been extended to include inertial fusion energy (IFE) reactors by Physics Engineering Cost (PEC) system code. In this study, we have evaluated both tokamak reactor (TR) and IFE reactor (IR). We clarify new scaling formulas for cost of electricity (COE) and CO 2 emission rate with respect to key design parameters. By the scaling formulas, it is clarified that the plant availability and operation year dependences are especially dominant for COE. On the other hand, the parameter dependences of CO 2 emission rate is rather weak than that of COE. This is because CO 2 emission percentage from manufacturing the fusion island is lower than COE percentage from that. Furthermore, the parameters dependences for IR are rather weak than those for TR. Because the CO 2 emission rate from manufacturing the laser system to be exchanged is very large in comparison with CO 2 emission rate from TR blanket exchanges.

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Connections between physics and economics for Tokamak fusion power plants

Cited by 15 publications

References 18 publications

Study of design parameters for minimizing the cost of electricity of tokamak fusion power reactors

Study of design parameters for minimizing the cost of electricity of tokamak fusion power reactors

Economic, safety and environmental prospects of fusion reactors

Research on Economics and CO2 Emission of Magnetic and Inertial Fusion Reactors

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