Notes

Outline

Controlled Fusion Energy: Promise and Problems Daren Stotler DOE Princeton University Plasma Physics Laboratory Youngstown State University April 26, 2001

Outline The World will need new sources of energy for this century. Fusion energy is an attractive option. Magnetic confinement fusion has made good progress toward making it practical. We have learned much about plasma science along the way.

CO2 Concentrations Have Increased Sharply During the Industrial Age, Tracking Fossil Fuel Emissions

Is There A Connection To Global Warming?

Energy Needs Will Continue To Increase

Balance of Our Energy Portfolio Must Change in Next 50 Years

Solar and Wind Energy Can Contribute, But Won’t Solve Problem

Outline The World will need new sources of energy for this century. Fusion energy is an attractive option. Magnetic confinement fusion has made good progress toward making it practical. We have learned much about plasma science along the way.

Fusion Energy Fits Into a Balanced Portfolio Unlike solar or wind, fusion power is concentrated Reduced land usage Not subject to daily, seasonal, or  regional weather variation No need for massive energy storage No need for long-distance energy transmission Environmental advantages No carbon emissions Low radioactivity – no Yucca Mountain Low risk of nuclear materials proliferation Can't blow up, can't melt down Less than 5 minutes of fuel in the plasma Abundant fuel, available to all nations Deuterium and lithium Fusion is complementary to other attractive energy sources.

Fusion Energy Is Abundant in the Universe, Just Inconveniently Located

Slide 11

The Fourth State of Matter: Plasma Solid – for example ice below 0 C. Atoms or molecules are held in orderly crystal structure. Liquid – for example water at 20 C. Atoms or molecules move around, but stick together. Gas – for example steam above 100 C. Atoms or molecules fly around freely. Plasma – materials above 10,000 C. Electrons are knocked out of atoms, so positive nuclei and negative electrons fly around freely.

Slide 13

Outline The World will need new sources of energy for this century. Fusion energy is an attractive option. Magnetic confinement fusion has made good progress toward making it practical. We have learned much about plasma science along the way.

The Sun Confines Hot Plasma

Slide 16

The Most Successful Magnetic Confinement Configuration Is the Tokamak

The Largest Tokamak Is the Joint European Torus in England

Working Tokamaks Are Usually Hidden by Support Systems & Diagnostics

Inside PPPL’s Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor, 1982 - 1997

We Know We Can Make Fusion Energy – The Challenge Now Is to Make It Practical!

Tokamaks Are Now Studying Fusion - Relevant Plasmas

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)

Fusion Ignition Research Experiment (FIRE)

National Spherical Torus Experiment – A More Compact Fusion Configuration                1998                                      Jan 2001

NSTX Will Test Theories That Could Lead to “Better, Cheaper” Fusion

$B-class Stellarators in Japan and Europe

National Compact Stellarator Experiment

Outline The World will need new sources of energy for this century. Fusion energy is an attractive option. Magnetic confinement fusion has made good progress toward making it practical. We have learned much about plasma science along the way.

Four Critical Plasma Science Challenges for Fusion Macroscopic Stability Maximize plasma pressure Microturbulence & Transport Energy confinement Wave-particle Interactions Successful heating / current drive Successful alpha heating Plasma-material Interactions First wall survivability

Slide 31

Understanding and Controlling Plasma Turbulence Requires Powerful Computer Simulations, Advanced Diagnostics & Experiments

Some Technology Benefits of Fusion Research

Some Science Benefits of Fusion Research

Conclusions We are understanding how these hot plasmas work, Finding that plasmas are beautiful & surprising. Have some great ideas about how to make fusion a practical energy source, We hope to have fusion energy during your lifetimes. There are many interesting and valuable benefits from our research, Maybe your next television set will have a flat panel plasma display we helped to improve.