UK Fusion Programme
Lead Research Organisation:
CCFE/UKAEA
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.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Christopher Llewellyn-Smith (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Kirk M
(2006)
Diffuse elastic scattering of electrons by individual nanometer-sized dislocation loops
in Philosophical Magazine
Nguyen-Manh D
(2006)
Multi-scale modelling of materials for fusion power plants
in Computational Materials Science
Allan N
(2006)
Beyond the point defect limit: Simulation methods for solid solutions and highly disordered systems
in Computational Materials Science
Cruz N
(2006)
JET real-time project test-bench software structure
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Thyagaraja A
(2006)
Toroidal and poloidal flows in single-fluid and two-fluid tokamak equilibria
in Physics of Plasmas
Boboc A
(2006)
Simultaneous Cotton-Mouton and Faraday rotation angle measurements on JET
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Murari A
(2006)
New diagnostic techniques and technologies at JET (invited)
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Garzotti L
(2006)
Simulations of source and anomalous pinch effects on the density profile peaking of JET H-mode plasmas
in Nuclear Fusion
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
Chapman S
(2006)
Perpendicular Shock Reformation and Ion Acceleration
in Space Science Reviews
Tardocchi M
(2006)
Modeling of neutron emission spectroscopy in JET discharges with fast tritons from (T)D ion cyclotron heating
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Buratti P
(2006)
Study of slow n = 1, m = 1 reconnection in JET discharges with low central magnetic shear
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Walsh M
(2006)
Design challenges and analysis of the ITER core LIDAR Thomson scattering system
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Berk H
(2006)
Explanation of the JET n = 0 chirping mode
in Nuclear Fusion
Kramer G
(2006)
Interpretation of core localized Alfvén eigenmodes in DIII-D and Joint European Torus reversed magnetic shear plasmas
in Physics of Plasmas
Sharapov S
(2006)
Alfvén cascades in JET discharges with NBI-heating
in Nuclear Fusion
Ahn J
(2006)
L-mode SOL width scaling in the MAST spherical tokamak
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Zhou Z
(2006)
Simulations of weak-beam diffraction contrast images of dislocation loops by the many-beam Howie-Basinski equations
in Philosophical Magazine
Garcia O
(2006)
Radial interchange motions of plasma filaments
in Physics of Plasmas
Lönnroth J
(2006)
Integrated ELM Modelling
in Contributions to Plasma Physics
Jenkins M
(2006)
Electron microscope weak-beam imaging of stacking fault tetrahedra: observations and simulations
in Journal of Materials Science
McDonald D
(2006)
The dimensionless scaling of ELMy H-mode confinement
in Comptes Rendus Physique
Kirk A
(2006)
Evolution of filament structures during edge-localized modes in the MAST Tokamak.
in Physical review letters
Helander P
(2006)
Tokamak current driven by poloidally asymmetric fueling
in Physics of Plasmas
Hacquin S
(2006)
X-mode reflectometry measurements in the JET plasma core region
in Review of Scientific Instruments