The need and prospects for improved fusion reactors

Conceptual fusion reactor studies over the past 10–15 yr have projected systems that may be too large, complex, and costly to be of commercial interest. One main direction for improved fusion reactors points toward smaller, higher-power-density approaches. First-order economic issues (i.e., unit direct cost and cost of electricity) are used to support the need for more compact fusion reactors. The results of a number of recent conceptual designs of reversed-field pinch, spheromak, and tokamak fusion reactors are summarized as examples of more compact approaches. While a focus has been placed on increasing the fusion-power-core mass power density beyond the minimum economic threshold of 100–200 kWe/tonne, other means by which the overall attractiveness of fusion as a long-term energy source are also addressed.Nomenclature a Plasma minor radius at outboard equatorial plane (m) - A Plasma aspect ratioR _T /a - AC Annual charges ($/yr) - b Plasma minor radius in vertical direction (m) - B Magentic field at plasma or blanket (T) - B _c Magnetic field at the coil (T) - B Toroidal magnetic field (T) - B Poloidal magnetic field (T) - BOP Balance of plant - C Coil - COE Cost of electricity (mills/kWeh) - CRFPR Compact RFP reactor - CT Compact torus (FRC or spheromak) - c _FPC Unit cost of fusion power core ($/kg) - DC Direct cost ($) - DZP Dense Z-pinch - E Escalation rate (1/yr) - EDC Escalation during construction ($) - ET Elongated tokamak - F Annual fuel charges ($/yr) - FC Component of UDC not strongly dependent or FPC size ($/kWe) - FW First wall - FPC Fusion power core - f _Aux Fraction of gross electric power recirculated to BOP - f ₁ (IC+IDC+EDC)/DC - f ₂ (O&M + SCR + F)/AC - IC Indirect cost ($) - IDC Interest during construction ($) - I _w Neutron first-wall loading (MW/m²) - i Toroidal plasma current (MA) - j Plasma current density, I/a² - k _B Boltzmann constant, 1.602(10)^–16 (J/keV) - LWR Light-water (fission) reactor - MPD Mass power density 1000P_E/M_FPC (kWe/tonne) - M _N Blanket energy multiplication of 14.1-MeV neutron energy - M _FPC Mass of fusion power core (tonne) - n Plasma density (m^–3) or toroidal MHD mode number - O&M Annual operating and maintenance cost ($/yr) - p _f Plant availability factor - PFD Poloidal field dominated (CTs, RFP, DZP) - P Construction time (yr) - P_TH Thermal power (MWt) - P _E Net electric power (1-)P _ET (MWe) - P_ET Total gross electric power (MWe) - p_f Fusion power (MW) - q Tokamak safety factor (B /B _gq )(a/R _T ) - q _e EngineeringQ value, 1/e - R _T Major toroidal radius (m) - RFP Reversed-field pinch - RPE Reactor plant equipment (Account 22) - S Shield - SCR Annual spare component cost ($/yr) - SSR Second stability region for the tokamak - S/T/H Stellarator/torsatron/heliotron - ST Spherical tokamak or spherical torus - T Plasma temperature (keV) - TDC Total direct cost ($) - TOC Total overnight cost ($) - UDC Unit direct cost,TDC/10 ³ P _E ($/kWe) - V _p Plasma volume (m³) - W _p Plasma energy (GJ) - W _B Magnetic field energy (GJ) - Magnetic utilization efficiency, 2nk_BT/(B ²/2₀) - ₀ Permeability of free space, 4(10)^–7 H/m - XE Plasma confinement efficiency, a²/4_E - _e Plasma energy confinement time - _p Overall plant efficiency, _TH(1-) - _TH Thermal conversion efficiency - _FPC AverageFPC mass density (tonne/m³) - Plasma vertical elongation factor,b/a - Thickness of allFPC engineering structure surround plasma (m) - Total recirculating power fraction, (P _ET-P _E)/P _ET, or inverse aspect ratioa/R _T This work was performed under the auspices of USDOE, Office of Fusion Energy.     

网格研究及其开发环境*

探讨了网格研究的基础理论、核心问题、具体研究内容和难点;仿真是研究网格资源管理和调度问题的重要方法,分析和评价了目前主要仿真工具的特点及应用;GT3已经成为网格项目开发的主流工具,给出了建立GT3 Core网格服务开发平台的方法;介绍了基于CGSP(China Grid Support Platform)的网格开发环境.以期有助于网格的创新研究和应用开发.     

冲压成形仿真过程中有限元网格模型的建立

网格模型对冲压成形模拟的精度和效率影响极大 ,文中阐述了有限元网格模型建立的方法 ,并从单元尺寸、单元类型、自适应网格再划分技术等方面论述了如何解决精度与效率的问题。     

Smart pricing scheme: A multi-layered scoring rule application

Defining appropriate pricing strategy for smart environment is important and complex task at the same time. It holds the primal fraction in Demand Response (DR) program. In our work, we devise an incentive based smart dynamic pricing scheme for consumers facilitating a multi-layered scoring rule. The proposed strategy characterizes both incentive based DR and price based DR programs facilities. This mechanism is applied between consumer agents (CA) to electricity provider agent (EP) and EP to Generation Company (GENCO). Based on the Continuous Ranked Probability Score (CRPS), a hierarchical scoring system is formed among these entities, CA–EP–GENCO. As CA receives the dynamic day-ahead pricing signal from EP, it will schedule the household appliances to lower price period and report the prediction in a form of a probability distribution function to EP. EP, in similar way reports the aggregated demand prediction to GENCO. Finally, GENCO computes the base discount after running a cost-optimization problem. GENCO will reward EP with a fraction of discount based on their prediction accuracy. EP will do the same to CA based on how truthful they were reporting their intentions on device scheduling. The method is tested on real data provided by Ontario Power Company and we show that this scheme is capable to reduce energy consumption and consumers’ payment.     

A tutorial review of economic model predictive control methods

An overview of the recent results on economic model predictive control (EMPC) is presented and discussed addressing both closed-loop stability and performance for nonlinear systems. A chemical process example is used to provide a demonstration of a few of the various approaches. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the current status of EMPC and future research directions to promote and stimulate further research potential in this area.     

Designing multilayered wire‐grid polarizers using a monochromatic recursive convolution finite‐difference time‐domain algorithm

Multilayered wire‐grid polarizers (WGP) find application as low‐reflection polarizers in projection‐type liquid crystal display devices. A multilayered WGP is formed by adding thin layers on top of the metal ridges of an ordinary WGP. The ordinary WGP consists of a periodic array of parallel metal ridges, where the period of the array and the width of any individual metal ridge are typically less than the wavelength of the incident light. Such WGPs are often used as efficient polarizers. However, in certain applications, it is important to reduce the reflection from the WGP while preserving the polarization efficiency. One of the ways to achieve this goal is to add thin layers on top of the metal ridges of the ordinary WGP. The reduction in reflection from the multilayered WGP depends on the number and material of these additional layers. In this paper, we describe a design method for multilayered WGPs based on an effective medium theory, thin‐film computation method and a monochromatic recursive convolution finite‐difference time‐domain algorithm. The goal of design process is to identify suitable materials and thicknesses for the additional thin layers needed to lower the reflection appreciably. The design method is explained with the help of bilayered WGPs.     

受端电网区域无功自动控制调控策略研究

要确保受端电压的稳定性,就要保证有足够的无功补偿。静态无功补偿可以有效降低网损,并提供稳定的无功功率。但在电网系统变得越来越复杂的情况下,静态无功补偿已经很难满足需求,这时,动态无功补偿作为一种更为有效的无功补偿方式应运而生了。     

浅析加快300 MW机组启动速度的方法及措施

随着电网的装机容量日益增大,机组的启动次数也在逐日增多。从保证机组安全经济运行的角度出发,结合笔者直接或间接参与制定的技术措施,简要分析了影响机组启动速度的因素和改善措施,以期为其他发电厂在机组启动方面提供一些参考和建议。     

离网型太阳能光伏发电系统设计研究

离网型太阳能光伏发电系统是太阳能光伏发电系统的重要组成。它具有灵活度高、分布广、项目成本低等优点。本文主要对现有离网光伏发电系统设计过程进行分析。     

基于电力GIS的电网故障监控系统的研究与设计

电网故障监控系统利用故障采集器回传的电参数信息和地理标志信息,通过监控中心对这些信息读取处理后,导入GIS中,在显示器上通过GIS地图显示相关信息。从而帮助调度人员快速准确地发现和了解故障信息,及时制定抢修方案或启动抢修预案,并调度维修人员快速到达现场,可有效提高供电抢修效率,提升客户满意度,具有良好的应用价值。