Fusion Breeding for Mid-Century Sustainable Power

Abstract

This article is an editorial, which makes the case that fusion breeding (that is using fusion neutrons to breed nuclear fuel for use in conventional nuclear reactors) is the best objective for the fusion program. To make the case, it reviews a great deal of plasma physics and fusion data. Fusion breeding could potentially play a key role in delivering large-scale sustainable carbon-free commercial power by mid-century. There is almost no chance that pure fusion can do that. The leading magnetic fusion concept, the tokamak, is subject to well-known constraints, which we have called conservative design rules, and review in this paper. These constraints will very likely prevent tokamaks from ever delivering economical pure fusion. Inertial fusion, in pure fusion mode, may ultimately be able to deliver commercial power, but the failure to date of the leading inertial fusion experiment, the National Ignition Campaign, shows that there are still large gaps in our understanding of laser fusion. Fusion breeding, based on either magnetic fusion or inertial fusion, greatly relaxes the requirements on the fusion reactor. It is also a much better fit to today's and tomorrow's nuclear infrastructure than is its competitor, fission breeding. This article also shows that the proposed fusion and fission infrastructure, 'The Energy Park', reviewed here, is sustainable, economically and environmentally sound, and poses little or no proliferation risk.

Pushing Particles with Waves: Current Drive and <i>α</i>-Channeling

“…The paradigm of producing fusion may itself change, such as through fusion-fission parks, using fusion neutrons to breed nuclear fuel for use in conventional nuclear reactors [111]. The new economics of such a paradigm change will require re-evaluation in applying the techniques here.…”

Fabrication and Characterization of Li2TiO3–Li4SiO4 Pebbles for Tritium Breeder

“…In addition, Li 2 TiO 3 and Li 4 SiO 4 are Li ? ion conducting materials [17]. Hence, we speculate that during radiation process the phase and composition (Li ?…”

Designing a tokamak fusion reactor—How does plasma physics fit in?

“…Manheimer [41,42] also using relatively simple models and what he describes as "conservative design rules". His proposed solution is not to focus on improvements in plasma physics and fusion technology as advocated in the AIRES studies and in the analysis presented here.…”

“…The reason is fusion's low power density which ultimately leads to large size and large cost. To overcome this economic competition it may therefore make sense to increase the focus on fissile fuel production using fusion-fission hybrids as advocated for many years by Manheimer [41,42]. Another hybrid application is the burning of radioactive waste [51].…”