UK Fusion Programme
Lead Research Organisation:
CCFE/UKAEA
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.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Christopher Llewellyn-Smith (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Kirk A
(2006)
Filament structures at the plasma edge on MAST
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Dendy R
(2006)
Characterization and interpretation of strongly nonlinear phenomena in fusion, space and astrophysical plasmas
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Lönnroth J
(2007)
Effects of ripple-induced ion thermal transport on H-mode plasma performance
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
Cohen R
(2007)
Current and potential distribution in a divertor with toroidally-asymmetric biasing of the divertor plate
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
Guirlet R
(2006)
Parametric dependences of impurity transport in tokamaks
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Christiansen J
(2006)
Self-consistent plasma modelling by Monte Carlo test particles
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
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
Wilson H
(2006)
Magneto-hydrodynamic stability of the H-mode transport barrier as a model for edge localized modes: an overview
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
De Vries P
(2006)
Plasma rotation and momentum transport studies at JET
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Marinoni A
(2006)
Analysis and modelling of power modulation experiments in JET plasmas with internal transport barriers
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
Santala M
(2006)
Proton-triton nuclear reaction in ICRF heated plasmas in JET
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
Leonard A
(2006)
Survey of Type I ELM dynamics measurements
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Connor J
(2006)
Magnetic geometry, plasma profiles, and stability
in Plasma Physics Reports
Dnestrovskij Y
(2006)
Simulation of internal transport barriers by means of the canonical profile transport model
in Plasma Physics Reports
AOKI M
(2007)
Atom-based bond-order potentials for modelling mechanical properties of metals
in Progress in Materials Science
DERLET P
(2007)
Million-atom molecular dynamics simulations of magnetic iron
in Progress in Materials Science
NGUYENMANH D
(2007)
Environmental dependence of bonding: A challenge for modelling of intermetallics and fusion materials
in Progress in Materials Science
Walsh M
(2006)
Design challenges and analysis of the ITER core LIDAR Thomson scattering system
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Andrew Y
(2006)
Improved charge exchange spectroscopy on the Joint European Torus for ion temperature and rotation velocity profiles
in Review of Scientific Instruments