Physics considerations of the Reversed-Field Pinch fusion reactor

Conference · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:5205346

Hagenson, R L; Krakowski, R A

A conceptual engineering design of a fusion reactor based on plasma confinement in a toroidal Reversed-Field Pinch (RFP) configuration is described. The plasma is ohmically ignited by toroidal plasma currents which also inherently provide the confining magnetic fields in a toroidal chamber having major and minor radii of 12.7 and 1.5 m, respectively. The DT plasma ignites in 2 to 3 s and undergoes a transient, unrefueled burn at 10 to 20 keV for approx. 20 s to give a DT burnup of approx. 50%. Accounting for all major energy sinks yields a cost-optimized system with a recirculating power fraction of 0.17; the power output is 750 MWe(net).

• Research Organization: Science Applications, Inc., Ames, IA (USA); Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5205346
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-80-2219; CONF-800484-4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700200* -- Fusion Energy-- Fusion Power Plant Technology
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
COST
DESIGN
DEUTERIUM
ELECTRIC HEATING
HEATING
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
JOULE HEATING
LIGHT NUCLEI
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
PINCH EFFECT
PLASMA HEATING
RADIOISOTOPES
RESISTANCE HEATING
REVERSE-FIELD PINCH
STABLE ISOTOPES
TRITIUM
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES