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Magneto-inertial fusion systems
Published in S. V. Ryzhkov, A. Yu. Chirkov, Alternative Fusion Fuels and Systems, 2018
Magneto–inertial fusion (MIF) is the original direction of inertial controlled thermonuclear fusion (CTF), based on magneto–inertial confinement of hot plasma [242–244]. A new scheme of MIF is the compression of magnetized plasma by powerful laser beams (laser-driven MIF) or high-speed plasma jets (plasma jet driven MIF) [55, 245–247]. In MIF, as in magnetized target fusion (MTF), a spherical or cylindrical plasma configuration is compressed in an external seeding magnetic field. In recent years, the very promising direction of CTF [249] has been actively developing, where a cylindrical metal liner is compressed under the action of a powerful Z-pinch, and a thermonuclear process in a hot compressed cord is initiated by a femtosecond laser.
Engineering Paradigms for Sheared-Flow-Stabilized Z-Pinch Fusion Energy
Published in Fusion Science and Technology, 2023
M. C. Thompson, B. Levitt, B. A. Nelson, U. Shumlak
Proposals for alternative concepts with thick liquid walls include spheromaks[26] and spherical tokamaks.[27] While some of these are at a smaller scale than the ICF plant proposals, they typically involve spinning the molten wall/blanket liquid to generate centrifugal forces that push it against the walls in order to maintain openings in the fluid at both the top and bottom, which is required for access to the plasma in these approaches.[26] Spinning tons of molten metal or salt fast enough to hold it on a vertical wall against the force of gravity adds significant engineering complexity to the design. Some magnetized target fusion concepts involve rapidly driving large masses of molten metal to act as a compression liner for a spherical tokamak plasma.[27] This approach adds issues of timing and high repetitive mechanical stress to the complexities of high-speed fluid flow.
Foreword
Published in Fusion Science and Technology, 2021
Fusion enterprise sessions were held to describe the various approaches being taken by these pioneers toward commercial fusion power production. Magnetized target fusion at General Fusion was described by Michel Laberge; projectile inertial fusion at First Light Fusion, Ltd., was described by Jamie Darling; nuclear medicine development at SHINE Medical Technologies, LLC, was described by Greg Peifer; high-power spherical tokamak fusion at Tokamak Energy was described by David Kingham; sustained spheromak fusion at CTFusion, LLC, was described by Derek Sutherland; and commercialized neutron sources at Phoenix Nuclear, LLC, were described by Ross Radel. These presentations provided technical descriptions, historical company stories, and many important insights into the challenges of starting new companies based on complex technical endeavors. A panel discussion among the enterprise speakers provided very candid and interesting interchanges covering regulatory issues, the COVID-19 pandemic, artificial intelligence, public–private partnering, and desired skills for new young scientists.