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Strategies for Broadened Fast Track Fusion Energy Approach

Explore possible strategies to accelerate the development and realization of fusion energy, addressing the challenges, timelines, and potential solutions. This includes the EU fast track strategy, the US 35-year plan, and the need for non-government involvement in a new community approach. Delve into the possibilities of achieving a breakthrough in fusion within a decade and increasing its credibility.

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Strategies for Broadened Fast Track Fusion Energy Approach

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  1. Possible Strategies for a Broadened Fast Track Approach to Fusion Energy Dale Meade Princeton Plasma Physics laboratory Symposium on Fusion Engineering Knoxville, TN September 28, 2005 http://fire.pppl.gov

  2. The Most Frequently Asked Questions • Q - When will we get fusion energy? • A - 35 years to a non commercial DEMO • Q - Why is something so important taking so long? • A - Tougher than we thought, not enough money, • various excuses. • End of Conversation

  3. EU Fast Track Strategy • In response to criticism from various European scientists that fusion would take 50 years, and the “87 questions from the Bundestag”, the EU initiated a study in 2001 led by Sir David King. • Bottom Line - 35 years to a non commercial DEMO • References: Fire Fusion Library • • Accelerated Development of Fusion Power, I Cook, N Taylor, D Ward, L Baker, T Hender, UKAEA FUS 521 EURATOM/UKAEA Fusion, Feb 2005, D. Maisonnier ISFNT 2005 • Excerpts from Cris Lewellyn Smith’s IAEA 2004 Talk, and US visit in 2005

  4. EU Fast Track Strategy C. Lewellyn Smith IAEA 2004

  5. Test of breeding blanket Achieve Q=20, 400s Achieve Q~5 steady-state operation Proof of principle of breeding blanket 2. JA / EU roadmap to Fusion DEMO FY 2005 2020 2015 2010 2035 2030 2025 Performance extension phase Basic performance phase Decomissioning Construction ITER program Satelite Tokamaks And other devices JT-60 and JET Fusion technology development Development of breeding blanket Fusion material development (inc. IFMIF) Confirm physics database DEMO physics input for starting EDA Confirm material database Concept exploration DEMO CDA-like EDA/R&D construction power production Coordination of DEMO physics and tech. R&D Grid connection Decision of construction licencing - 3 -

  6. US 35 Year Plan • Requested by DOE to bolster case for US joining ITER negotiations. • 35 years to first electricity production using MFE or IFE • Report generally characterized as DOA in Washington

  7. Official Plans are Really “Slow track” • Its been 30 years to DEMO for 55 years. • Twenty years since the start of ITER discussions, and construction has not yet started. • As a result fusion gets one paragraph in serious books or article about future energy sources. • We used to have more ambitious plans • 1976 Plan • 1980 MFE act • Mid 80s Plans e.g., Technical Planning Activity

  8. 1976 US Plan for Fusion Fusion Power by Magnetic Fusion Program Plan July 1976 ERDA – 76/110/1 Base program only • Logic V became the basis for the MFE Act of 1980. • The US Fusion Program evolved from Logic IV to Logic I - we never get there.

  9. The Magnetic Fusion Engineering Act of 1980 • Operation of Fusion Engineering Device (burning plasma and tests of components for engineering purposes) by 1990 ( 9 years) • Operation of Fusion DEMO by 2000- prototype energy (electricity production) system of sufficient size to provide safety, availability and ready extrapolation to commercial size, need not be economically competitive with then existing energy sources. (19 years) • Budget (relative to October 7, 1980 -start of FY 1981): • 1982 +20% • 1983 + 20% • double budget within 7 years • without inflation . - How did we do relative to this plan?

  10. DEMO FED FED Comparison of MFE Act with Actual Budget/Progress The FED (burning plasma and technology tests) should have been done by end of 2001 according to the actual money spent on MFE).

  11. External Conditions are Changing • Concerns about energy supplies have risen to awareness levels not seen since the mid 1970s. • oil reserves • growing demand • global climate change • Manhattan Project for Alternate Energy- T . Freidman NY Times Sep-05 • Fusion is seldom mentioned as an important part of the solution except near the end of this century - by then other energy sources will have filled the gap. • If a second energy crisis appears, we should be ready. Fusion was able to catch the wave with the 1970’s Energy Crisis because“ we” were ready.

  12. How fast could we find out if fusion energy is a possibility? • Change the goal from DEMO date to a Proof of Fusion date. Did we establish the scientific feasibility of fusion or is it yet to be done?? • What are the two or three key issues that if settled would convince decision makers that fusion energy was credible? • How fast could these be addressed? • What could fusion do in a decade? • Is a totally new paradigm needed? non-government involvement a new community approach We should know the answer these questions!!!!

  13. J. Sethian 2003 The Fusion in a Decade Challenge Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. D. Burnham, architect • What could be done in the next decade to increase the credibility of fusion?

  14. Some Possibilities • • Operation of Fusion Engineering Device (burning plasma and tests of components for engineering purposes) within a decade • • Advanced FIRE described yesterday is an example • • other tokamak based systems • ICF already has NIF delivering a burning plasma within 5 years.

  15. ITER and FIRE would provide a strong basis for Adv. DEMO FIRE ARIES-RS ITER

  16. ARIES Studies have Defined the Critical Plasma and Technology Issues for Fusion Energy Plasma Exhaust Pheat/Rx ~ 100MW/m Helium Pumping Tritium Retention High Gain Q ~ 25 - 50 ntET ~ 6x1021 m-3skeV Pa/Pheat = fa ≈ 90% Low rotation Plasma Control Fueling Current Drive RWM Stabilization High Power Density Pf/V~ 6 MWm-3 p ~10 atm Gn ≈ 4 MWm-2 Steady-State ~ 90% Bootstrap Significant advances are needed in each area. Metrics are needed in each area to measure progress.

  17. Fusion Needs Metrics to Measure Progress • • need to be understandable • • need several metrics for each major issue • • track progress against plan • Some examples - • Fusion Power or Fusion Energy/pulse vs year • Lawson, BtE • pressure, b (which one ? Plasma b , fusion b ) pulse length s, time constants Power densities - plasma, wall, blanket, etc

  18. Uncle Sam’s Thoughts on the Fast Track I want you to get on with fusion, and make a major step forward within a decade.

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