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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Environmental and safety aspects of alternative nuclear power technologies - fusion power systems

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7312839
An examination of environmental and safety issues associated with advanced nuclear power technologies is being conducted by the EPA Office of Radiation Programs. Part of this effort has been devoted to a review of fusion power systems. In the past several years, progress in fusion power research and development has led to the production of conceptual power plant designs for several fusion concepts. These have included both magnetic and inertial (primarily laser fusion) confinement systems. One of the more promising concepts is the tokamak magnetic confinement scheme, and several fairly detailed power plant designs based on this concept have been produced. The tokamak designs prepared by the Princeton and Wisconsin fusion power plant design groups were used as the basis for the present review. The present discussion includes a review of the main features of tokamak power plants with emphasis on radiological aspects. Both inplant and environmental health physics implications of the designs are briefly reviewed. Environmental control and radioactive waste management considerations are included.
Research Organization:
Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, NV (USA). Office of Radiation Programs
OSTI ID:
7312839
Report Number(s):
PB-255502; ORP/LV-76-7
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English