Alternative fusion devices: Difference between revisions
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Given this situation, there is considerable interest in developing alternative designs. | Given this situation, there is considerable interest in developing alternative designs. | ||
Their common goal is to achieve fusion power generation at lower cost by exploiting the hypothetical improved plasma confinement properties of a different magnetic field configuration (or other design features), which would allow a reduced size of the power plant. | Their common goal is to achieve fusion power generation at lower cost by exploiting the hypothetical improved plasma confinement properties of a different magnetic field configuration (or other design features), which would allow a reduced size of the power plant. | ||
<ref>D. Clery, [[doi:10.1126/science.345.6195.370|Science '''345''', 6195 (2014) 370]]</ref> | <ref>D. Clery, ''Fusion's restless pioneers'', [[doi:10.1126/science.345.6195.370|Science '''345''', 6195 (2014) 370]]</ref> | ||
<ref>[http://www.nature.com/news/plasma-physics-the-fusion-upstarts-1.15592 | <ref>M.M. Waldrop, ''Plasma physics: The fusion upstarts'', [http://www.nature.com/news/plasma-physics-the-fusion-upstarts-1.15592 Nature '''511''', 7510 (2014)]</ref> | ||
Currently, none of the alternative designs have achieved these potential benefits. | Currently, none of the alternative designs have achieved these potential benefits. | ||
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* Magnetized target reactor - [http://www.generalfusion.com/ General Fusion] | * Magnetized target reactor - [http://www.generalfusion.com/ General Fusion] | ||
* Dense Plasma Focus - [http://lawrencevilleplasmaphysics.com/ LPP Fusion] | * Dense Plasma Focus - [http://lawrencevilleplasmaphysics.com/ LPP Fusion] | ||
* [http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/compact-fusion.html Compact Fusion] - Lockheed Martin (Skunkworks)<ref>[http://news.sciencemag.org/physics/2014/10/updated-are-old-secrets-behind-lockheeds-new-fusion-machine | * [http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/compact-fusion.html Compact Fusion] - Lockheed Martin (Skunkworks)<ref>D. Clery, ''Updated: Are old secrets behind Lockheed's new fusion machine?'', [http://news.sciencemag.org/physics/2014/10/updated-are-old-secrets-behind-lockheeds-new-fusion-machine Science, 17 October 2014]</ref> | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
Revision as of 08:46, 16 January 2015
Economically viable energy production based on nuclear fusion in a magnetic confinement device has not been demonstrated yet. The mainstream tokamak, stellarator, spheromak and Reversed Field Pinch designs may achieve energy production by fusion in the future, but it remains to be seen whether these designs will lead to economically viable and attractive power plants, as fusion reactors based on these designs will almost certainly need to be very large.
Given this situation, there is considerable interest in developing alternative designs. Their common goal is to achieve fusion power generation at lower cost by exploiting the hypothetical improved plasma confinement properties of a different magnetic field configuration (or other design features), which would allow a reduced size of the power plant. [1] [2] Currently, none of the alternative designs have achieved these potential benefits.
Alternative designs and associated companies
- Levitated Dipole Experiment
- Colliding beam reactor - Tri Alpha Energy
- Polywell - EMC2 company
- Magnetized target reactor - General Fusion
- Dense Plasma Focus - LPP Fusion
- Compact Fusion - Lockheed Martin (Skunkworks)[3]
See also
References
- ↑ D. Clery, Fusion's restless pioneers, Science 345, 6195 (2014) 370
- ↑ M.M. Waldrop, Plasma physics: The fusion upstarts, Nature 511, 7510 (2014)
- ↑ D. Clery, Updated: Are old secrets behind Lockheed's new fusion machine?, Science, 17 October 2014