skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Commercial fusion power in the next decade

Journal Article · · Ind. Heat. (Pittsburgh); (United States)
OSTI ID:6041329

The tokamak is a concept first invented by the Russians in 1966, which permits the stable and efficient confinement of a hot ''plasma'' in a toroidal or ''doughnut-shaped'' magnetic ''bottle''. The tokamak configuration is the world standard for all major national fusion research programs. The RIGGATRON is a very small high-field tokamak, which employs unique thermal and mechanical designs for appropriate energy extraction. The hot and densely confined ''plasma'' gas is composed of ions of the heavy hydrogen isotopes, deuterium (D) and tritium (T) which are ''fusing together'' to form helium and neutrons. The toroidal magnetic bottle confines and contains the heavy hydrogen fuel and the helium by-product, while it permits the energetic neutrons to escape. The tokamak is a special type of magnetic bottle, and the RIGGATRON is a special type of tokamak. Work conducted to date has led to conceptual design of the first fusion test units, and to the successful development of basic materials and fabrication techniques required to assure performance and engineering integrity of these units. Simultaneously, initial specifications for the test site, electrical power supply, water cooling supply and other auxiliary sub-systems have been defined.

Research Organization:
International Nuclear Energy Systems Co., Inc., La Jolla, CA
OSTI ID:
6041329
Journal Information:
Ind. Heat. (Pittsburgh); (United States), Vol. 51:1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English