Dr. Michel Laberge
Fusion Forum – Edmonton, Alberta CONFIDENTIAL- November 4, 2017 Fusion is Reaching an Inflection Point
• Last ten years have seen a surge in the investigation of alternative approaches and technologies for fusion energy.
• Advances in plasma physics, electronics and digital controls, computer simulation, materials and construction technics (3D printing) have opened up new avenues for developing fusion power plants.
2 Emergence of Private Ventures
• Emergence of private companies taking advantage of new knowledge and technologies to pursue more practical pathways to commercial fusion energy.
• The companies are building world class teams and research centers, and are working closely with publicly funded institutions.
3 Alternate Concepts Share Common Themes
• Accept risk of new science and technology in exchange for a clearer pathway to a commercially viable fusion power plant. • Aim to overcome the challenges facing commercialization of traditional approaches
4 Many Approaches
• Today we’ll cover • Magnetic confinement: Spherical Tokamaks, Spheromak, z pinch and Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) • Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF) • Further reading: • Lockheed Martin –Magnetic Cusp • Magnetic mirror making a comeback with better end plug (gas dynamic)
5 Fusion: A spectrum of technology pathways
Magnetic Confinement Fusion Magnetized Target Fusion Inertial Confinement Fusion
All Confinement Balanced All Compression
• Very large, low density • Medium density • Very high density • Continuous • Slow pulses • Super fast pulses • Massive, expensive magnets • No large magnets or lasers • Expensive high power lasers • Materials and stability issues • Few materials and control issues • Efficiency and control issues • (ITER, Wendelstein 7-X, Tokamak Energy) • (General Fusion, Helion Energy) • (National Ignition Facility)
6 Tokamak toroidal field > poloidal
7 Magnetic Confinement: Spherical Tokamak
• Utilising new high temperature superconductor technology to reduce size of tokamak devices • MIT, Tokamak Energy (UK)
8 Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) poloidal field only
9 Magnetic Confinement: FRC
• Privately funded venture based in California • Variant of Field Reversed Configuration • Pursuing different fuel (p11-B) • require temperatures of 5 billion degrees Celsius
10 Z pinch toroidal field only
11 MagLIF – Sandia National Lab, USA
Open field lines Z-pinch: faster compression, smaller plasma compared to General Fusion Government research Impressive neutron yield in 2013
MagLIF achieved good results in late 2013 with significant neutron production 12 Spheromak poloidal field>toroidal
13 Magnetized Target Fusion • Intermediate region between magnetic confinement and inertial confinement • Potential for lower cost compression driver and plasma confinement • Possible pathways to a commercially viable power plant
14 Magnetized Target Fusion
1. Form a compact torus of plasma
2. Confine in conductive chamber
3. Compress and heat to fusion conditions
4. Repeat
15 About General Fusion
• Developing a fusion power plant • Based in Burnaby, BC • Started in 2002
• 75 employees • ~50 scientists & engineers • 12 PhDs • Raised over $100 million
16 17 Advantages of General Fusion’s approach
Liquid Metal Wall Compressed Gas Driver No Consumables
• A major practical Practical, existing technology Zero-cost plasma targets advantage • Absorbs energy for heat • Steam powered pistons • Target is comprised only exchangers create compression of magnetized plasma
• Protects outer wall from • No exotic lasers or giant • No expensive target neutrons damage magnets capsules as associated • Produces fuel from liquid with other pulsed lithium, high breeding • Less than 1% of the cost of systems ratio (1.6) other fusion drivers
18 Compression system
• 1m sphere with 14 full size drivers • 15 ton molten Pb storage • 100 kg/s pumping • Vortex formation and collapse • Piston impact velocity (50 m/s) and timing control (±5 µs) achieved
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