Exploring the Competitive Potential of Magnetic Fusion Energy: The Interaction of Economics with Safety and Environmental Characteristics

Holdren, John P.; Berwald, D.H.; Budnitz, Robert J.; Crocker, J.G.; Delene, J.G.; Endicott, R.D.; Kazimi, Mujid S.; Krakowski, R.A.; Logan, B.G.; Schultz, Kenneth R.

doi:10.13182/fst88-a25084

Cited by 80 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Level of Safety Assurance (LSA) factors have been used to give credit to fusion systems for improvements related to passive safety [25]. Nuclear systems without such credits reflect N-stamp costs consistent with present fission power plants (LSA 0/4).…”

Section: Design Point Determinationmentioning

confidence: 99%

ARIES-ST design point selection

Miller

2003

Fusion Engineering and Design

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Section: Design Point Determinationmentioning

confidence: 99%

ARIES-ST design point selection

Miller

2003

Fusion Engineering and Design

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“…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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“…These reduced activation materials must enable safe, prolonged operation, at temperatures that can promote a high thermodynamic efficiency of the plant. [9][10][11][12]…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Critical Assessment 12: Prospects for reduced activation steel for fusion plant

Gorley

2015

Materials Science and Technology

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The development of new, high performance reduced activation materials is increasingly recognised as one of the key enabling technologies required for the advancement of civil fusion power. Reduced activation steels are considered the leading materials for fusion reactor blanket structural materials. The manufacturing technologies and database for the current leading reduced activation steels have reached a state of maturity where basic design and implementation can be addressed. However, there remain concerns with these materials due to an incomplete irradiation database and because of their limited operational temperature window. The requirements of these steels along with various proposed methods to improve reduced activation steels are critically assessed, and some indications given on future paths for progress.

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Exploring the Competitive Potential of Magnetic Fusion Energy: The Interaction of Economics with Safety and Environmental Characteristics

Cited by 80 publications

References 25 publications

ARIES-ST design point selection

ARIES-ST design point selection

Economic, safety and environmental prospects of fusion reactors

Critical Assessment 12: Prospects for reduced activation steel for fusion plant

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