An overview of shared technical challenges for magnetic and inertial fusion power plant development

An overview of shared technical challenges for magnetic and inertial fusion power plant development

An overview of shared technical challenges for magnetic and inertial fusion power plant development 150 150 UKAEA Opendata
UKAEA-CCFE-PR(20)94

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.

Collection:
Journals
Journal:
Philosophical Transactions A
Publisher:
The Royal Society
Published date:
07/12/2020