UK Fusion Programme
Lead Research Organisation:
EURATOM/CCFE
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
Liu Y
(2006)
Modeling of resistive wall mode and its control in experiments and ITER
in Physics of Plasmas
Newton S
(2007)
Collisional bulk ion transport and poloidal rotation driven by neutral beam injection
in Physics of Plasmas
Helander P
(2006)
Tokamak current driven by poloidally asymmetric fueling
in Physics of Plasmas
Kramer G
(2006)
Interpretation of core localized Alfvén eigenmodes in DIII-D and Joint European Torus reversed magnetic shear plasmas
in Physics of Plasmas
Smith H
(2006)
Runaway electrons and the evolution of the plasma current in tokamak disruptions
in Physics of Plasmas
Chapman I
(2006)
Modeling the effect of toroidal plasma rotation on drift-magnetohydrodynamic modes in tokamaks
in Physics of Plasmas
Gates D
(2006)
Effect of plasma shaping on performance in the National Spherical Torus Experiment
in Physics of Plasmas
Merrifield J
(2007)
Intermittency, dissipation, and scaling in two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence
in Physics of Plasmas
Fülöp T
(2006)
Destabilization of magnetosonic-whistler waves by a relativistic runaway beam
in Physics of Plasmas
Garcia O
(2006)
Radial interchange motions of plasma filaments
in Physics of Plasmas
McDonald D
(2006)
The impact of statistical models on scalings derived from multi-machine H-mode threshold experiments
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Dieckmann M
(2006)
Two-stream instability in collisionless shocks and foreshock
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Sircombe N
(2006)
Aspects of electron acoustic wave physics in laser backscatter from plasmas
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Kaye S
(2006)
The role of aspect ratio and beta in H-mode confinement scalings
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Guirlet R
(2006)
Parametric dependences of impurity transport in tokamaks
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Gimblett C
(2006)
The role of edge current-driven modes in ELM activity
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Dieckmann M
(2006)
Phase speed of electrostatic waves: the critical parameter for efficient electron surfing acceleration
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Saarelma S
(2007)
MHD stability analysis of ELMs in MAST
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Christiansen J
(2006)
Self-consistent plasma modelling by Monte Carlo test particles
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Kirk A
(2006)
Filament structures at the plasma edge on MAST
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
James M
(2006)
Tearing mode stability in a sheared slab model of the tokamak plasma
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Rozhansky V
(2006)
Modelling of radial electric field profile for different divertor configurations
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Kirk A
(2007)
Evolution of the pedestal on MAST and the implications for ELM power loadings
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Dnestrovskij Y
(2007)
Analysis of pressure profiles and transport simulations of MAST discharges
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Kiptily V
(2006)
Gamma ray diagnostics of high temperature magnetically confined fusion plasmas
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion