UK Fusion Programme
Lead Research Organisation:
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
Department Name: Culham Centre for Fusion Energy
Abstract
Fusion is the energy-releasing process that powers the sun and other stars. If it can be harnessed economically on earth it would be an essentially limitless source of safe, environmentally responsible energy. Fusion energy is therefore strongly mission-orientated. The most promising method uses strong magnetic fields in a tokamak configuration to allow a high temperature deuterium-tritium plasma to be generated while minimising contact with the surrounding material surfaces.The UK contributes to fusion research in two ways: (i) through the UK's own programme focused on the spherical tokamak experiment MAST, and (ii) by contributing to the Joint European Torus (JET) programme. The MAST and JET facilities are situated at Culham Science Centre. International co-operation is strong with the focus on the International Tokamak Experimental Reactor (ITER), which will be the first fusion device to achieve energy gain and sustained burn.Experimental programmes on the MAST and JET tokamaks are performed to help resolve and refine understanding of key physics issues for ITER. In addition, experimental programmes on MAST focus on testing the potential of the spherical tokamak as a more compact option for future fusion devices. A strong theory and modelling group supports the experimental programmes and contributes to the research and development of fusion materials and to studies of conceptual fusion power stations. Expansion of the research and development of ITER specialist (i.e. diagnostic and heating) systems, focuses on securing major roles for the UK in the provision of two or three of these large complex projects.The results of the research are presented in reports and publications, and at conferences, expert groups and specialist committees. Collaborations with researchers in other areas of science and technologies are pursued strongly, where the research overlaps with fusion R&D.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Christopher Llewellyn-Smith (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Cohen R
(2007)
Current and potential distribution in a divertor with toroidally-asymmetric biasing of the divertor plate
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Neu R
(2007)
Investigation of tungsten coatings on graphite and CFC
in Physica Scripta
Dudarev S
(2007)
Driven mobility of self-interstitial defects under electron irradiation
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms
DERLET P
(2007)
Million-atom molecular dynamics simulations of magnetic iron
in Progress in Materials Science
McDonald D
(2007)
Recent progress on the development and analysis of the ITPA global H-mode confinement database
in Nuclear Fusion
Dnestrovskij Y
(2007)
Analysis of pressure profiles and transport simulations of MAST discharges
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Loarte A
(2007)
Transient heat loads in current fusion experiments, extrapolation to ITER and consequences for its operation
in Physica Scripta
Lönnroth J
(2007)
Effects of ripple-induced ion thermal transport on H-mode plasma performance
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Counsell G
(2006)
On the use of a capacitive diaphragm gauge for dust detection in next-step fusion devices
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Jones T
(2006)
Prediction of neutron source, tritium production and activation for long-pulse operation of the ITER neutral beam test facility
in Nuclear Fusion
Tartari U
(2006)
Critical issues highlighted by collective Thomson scattering below electron cyclotron resonance in FTU
in Nuclear Fusion
Brutti S
(2006)
Lattice stability of Ca, Sr and Yb disilicides
in Intermetallics
Boboc A
(2006)
Simultaneous Cotton-Mouton and Faraday rotation angle measurements on JET
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Stammers K
(2006)
The calibration of the MAST neutron yield monitors
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Walsh M
(2006)
Design challenges and analysis of the ITER core LIDAR Thomson scattering system
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Gates D
(2006)
Effect of plasma shaping on performance in the National Spherical Torus Experiment
in Physics of Plasmas
James M
(2006)
Tearing mode stability in a sheared slab model of the tokamak plasma
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Cottrell G
(2006)
A survey of plasma facing materials for fusion power plants
in Materials Science and Technology
Dudarev SL
(2006)
Angular-dependent matrix potentials for fast molecular-dynamics simulations of transition metals.
in Journal of physics. Condensed matter : an Institute of Physics journal
Forrest R
(2006)
Data requirements for neutron activation
in Fusion Engineering and Design
McDonald D
(2006)
The impact of statistical models on scalings derived from multi-machine H-mode threshold experiments
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Boswell C
(2006)
Observation and explanation of the JET chirping mode
in Physics Letters A
Counsell G
(2006)
Tritium retention in next step devices and the requirements for mitigation and removal techniques
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Mayoral M
(2006)
Hydrogen plasmas with ICRF inverted minority and mode conversion heating regimes in the JET tokamak
in Nuclear Fusion
Darrow D
(2006)
Initial results from the lost alpha diagnostics on Joint European Torus
in Review of Scientific Instruments