Demonstration tokamak fusion power plant for early realization of net electric power generation

Abstract

A demonstration tokamak fusion power plant Demo-CREST is proposed as the device for early realization of net electric power generation by fusion energy. The plasma configuration for Demo-CREST is optimized to satisfy the electric breakeven condition (the condition for net electric power, ) with the plasma performance of the ITER reference operation mode. This optimization method is considered to be suitable for the design of a demonstration power plant for early realization of net electric power generation, because the demonstration power plant has to ensure the net electric generation. Plasma performance should also be more reliably achieved than in past design studies. For the plasma performance planned in the present ITER programme, net electric power from 0 to 500 MW is possible with Demo-CREST under the following engineering conditions: maximum magnetic field 16 T, thermal efficiency 30%, NBI system efficiency 50% and NBI current drive power restricted to 200 MW. By replacing the blanket system with one of higher thermal efficiency, a net electric power of about 1000 MW is also possible so that the performance of the commercial plant with Demo-CREST can also be studied from the economic point of view. The development path from the experimental reactor ‘ITER’ to the commercial plant ‘CREST’ through the demonstration power plant ‘Demo-CREST’ is proposed as an example of the fast track concept.

Evaluation of Transport Properties in Warm Dense Matter Generated by Pulsed-power Discharge for Nuclear Fusion Systems

“…However, the divertor is irradiated by highly energetic particles from fusion plasma. The heat load on the divertor for ITER is estimated to be 10 MW/m 2 at a steady state and 1000 MW/m 2 in plasma disruption and mitigated edge localized modes (ELMs) [1,2,3,4]. Up to now, the heat load on the divertor in previous MCF systems has been unreached parameter.…”

Divertor Study on DEMO Reactor

“…Huge power handling in the SOL/divertor region is one of the crucial issues for a tokamak fusion DEMO reactor, such as SSTR [1], Demo-CREST [2], ARIES-AT [3], PPCS [4,5], SlimCS [6,7] and so on. In the DEMO reactor for the fusion power of 3 GW, exhausted thermal power from the core plasma to the SOL/divertor (P ext ) is expected to be larger than 500 MW, which is 5 -6 times larger than that in ITER.…”

A control method of divertor plasma start-up assisted by tritium-ratio control for Demo-CREST

“…1) [5], has two missions and correspondingly two plant operation phase: the demonstration phase and the development one. The first mission for the demonstration phase is to demonstrate the net electric power generation in a plant scale as soon as possible.…”

“…To make matters worse, the SOL density becomes small in comparison with ITER. As for the operation point of 1.0 GW fusion power for Demo-CREST, the divertor condition of (1.3 × 10 19 m −3 , 260 MW) about the SOL density and the required impurity radiation for the heat load less than 10 MW/m 2 is more severe than that of ITER (3.3 × 10 19 m −3 , 47 MW) [5]. At least, we have to keep a high SOL density in comparison with the ITER condition.…”