An overview of shared technical challenges for magnetic and inertial fusion power plant development
Fusion energy is an area of active development and innovation worldwide, with many design concepts exhibiting a range of technical challenges. A significant portion of technical challenges will be unique for a given design concept, however there are several overarching challenges that any design must address to some degree. These include: Tritium handling and the tritium cycle; Materials and their survivability in the high energy neutron environment of D-T fusion; Neutronics and the validation of nuclear data; Remote handling and maintenance activities; and, integrated holistic approaches to fusion plant design. This paper provides an overview of these aspects with a view to highlighting commonality and the benefits of shared knowledge that this may bring.