The need and prospects for improved fusion reactors |
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Authors: | R. A. Krakowski R. L. Miller R. L. Hagenson |
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Affiliation: | (1) Los Alamos National Laboratory, 87545 Los Alamos, New Mexico;(2) Phillips Petroleum Company, 74004 Bartlesville, Oklahoma |
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Abstract: | 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 ratioRT/a - AC Annual charges ($/yr) - b Plasma minor radius in vertical direction (m) - B Magentic field at plasma or blanket (T) - Bc Magnetic field at the coil (T) - B Toroidal magnetic field (T) - B Poloidal magnetic field (T) - BOP Balance of plant - C Coil - COE Cost of electricity (mills/kWeh) - CRFPR Compact RFP reactor - CT Compact torus (FRC or spheromak) - cFPC Unit cost of fusion power core ($/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 - fAux Fraction of gross electric power recirculated to BOP - f1 (IC+IDC+EDC)/DC - f2 (O&M + SCR + F)/AC - IC Indirect cost ($) - IDC Interest during construction ($) - Iw Neutron first-wall loading (MW/m2) - i Toroidal plasma current (MA) - j Plasma current density, I / a2 - kB Boltzmann constant, 1.602(10)–16 (J/keV) - LWR Light-water (fission) reactor - MPD Mass power density 1000PE/MFPC (kWe/tonne) - MN Blanket energy multiplication of 14.1-MeV neutron energy - MFPC Mass of fusion power core (tonne) - n Plasma density (m–3) or toroidal MHD mode number - O&M Annual operating and maintenance cost ($/yr) - pf Plant availability factor - PFD Poloidal field dominated (CTs, RFP, DZP) - P Construction time (yr) - PTH Thermal power (MWt) - PE Net electric power (1- )PET (MWe) - PET Total gross electric power (MWe) - pf Fusion power (MW) - q Tokamak safety factor (B /Bgq)(a/RT) - qe EngineeringQ value, 1/e - RT Major toroidal radius (m) - RFP Reversed-field pinch - RPE Reactor plant equipment (Account 22) - S Shield - SCR Annual spare component cost ($/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/103PE ($/kWe) - Vp Plasma volume (m3) - Wp Plasma energy (GJ) - WB Magnetic field energy (GJ) - Magnetic utilization efficiency, 2nkBT/(B2/2 0) - 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, (PET-PE)/PET, or inverse aspect ratioa/RTThis work was performed under the auspices of USDOE, Office of Fusion Energy. |
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Keywords: | fusion reactor fusion economics reversed-field pinch mass power density design tokamak spheromak |
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