Findings of the US research needs workshop on the topic of fusion power

• Published in: Fusion engineering and design Vol. 85; no. 7; pp. 969 - 973
• Main Authors: Meier, W.R., Raffray, A.R., Kurtz, R.J., Morley, N.B., Reiersen, W.T., Sharpe, P., Willms, S.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.12.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; Applied sciences; Construction; Controled nuclear fusion plants; Design engineering; ENERGY; Energy of formation; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Environment and safety; Exact sciences and technology; Extraction; Fusion nuclear technology; Fusion power; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Maintainability; Materials; Materials science; Offices; Panels; POWER; THERMONUCLEAR FUELS; THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS; Tritium; Workshops; Fusion power; Tritium; Fusion nuclear technology; Environment and safety; Materials; Tokamak; Nuclear fusion reactor; Fuel cycle; Safety; Reliability
• ISSN: 0920-3796; 1873-7196
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2009.10.008

The US Department of Energy, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (OFES) conducted a Research Needs Workshop, referred to as ReNeW, in June 2009. The information developed at this workshop will help OFES develop a plan for US fusion research during the ITER era, roughly the next two decades. The workshop was organized in five Themes, one of which was Harnessing Fusion Power (or Fusion Power for short). The top level goal of the Fusion Power Theme was to identify the research needed to develop the knowledge to design and build, with high confidence, robust and reliable systems that can convert fusion products to useful forms of energy in a reactor environment, including a self-sufficient supply of tritium fuel. Each Theme was subsequently subdivided into Panels to address specific topics. The Fusion Power Panel topics were: Fusion Fuel Cycle; Power Extraction; Materials Science; Safety and Environment; and Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Inspectability (RAMI). Here we present the key findings of the Fusion Power Theme.