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
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Forrest R
(2006)
Data requirements for neutron activation
in Fusion Engineering and Design
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O'Mullane M
(2006)
Atomic modeling and instrumentation for measurement and analysis of emission in preparation for the ITER-like wall in JET
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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Reimerdes H
(2006)
Cross-machine comparison of resonant field amplification and resistive wall mode stabilization by plasma rotation
in Physics of Plasmas
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Kuldkepp M
(2006)
Motional Stark effect diagnostic pilot experiment for MAST
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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Chapman S
(2006)
Perpendicular Shock Reformation and Ion Acceleration
in Space Science Reviews
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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
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Liu Y
(2006)
Modeling of resistive wall mode and its control in experiments and ITER
in Physics of Plasmas
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Gryaznevich M
(2006)
Perturbative and non-perturbative modes in START and MAST
in Nuclear Fusion
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Garzotti L
(2006)
Simulations of source and anomalous pinch effects on the density profile peaking of JET H-mode plasmas
in Nuclear Fusion
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Murari A
(2006)
New diagnostic techniques and technologies at JET (invited)
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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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
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Forrest R
(2006)
Data requirements for neutron activation
in Fusion Engineering and Design
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Von Hellermann M
(2006)
Status of the DNB based ITER CXRS and BES diagnostic
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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Garcia O
(2006)
Radial interchange motions of plasma filaments
in Physics of Plasmas
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Zhou Z
(2006)
Simulations of weak-beam diffraction contrast images of dislocation loops by the many-beam Howie-Basinski equations
in Philosophical Magazine
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Smith H
(2006)
Runaway electrons and the evolution of the plasma current in tokamak disruptions
in Physics of Plasmas
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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
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Newton S
(2007)
Collisional bulk ion transport and poloidal rotation driven by neutral beam injection
in Physics of Plasmas
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Hirai T
(2007)
Characterization and heat flux testing of beryllium coatings on Inconel for JET ITER-like wall project
in Physica Scripta
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Lungu C
(2007)
Beryllium coatings on metals for marker tiles at JET: development of process and characterization of layers
in Physica Scripta
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McDonald D
(2007)
Recent progress on the development and analysis of the ITPA global H-mode confinement database
in Nuclear Fusion
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Lavrentiev M
(2007)
Monte Carlo study of thermodynamic properties and clustering in the bcc Fe-Cr system
in Physical Review B
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McKay R
(2007)
Fast Alfven Wave Heating and Acceleration of Ions in a Nonuniform Magnetoplasma
in The Astrophysical Journal
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Loarte A
(2007)
Transient heat loads in current fusion experiments, extrapolation to ITER and consequences for its operation
in Physica Scripta
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Saarelma S
(2007)
MHD stability analysis of ELMs in MAST
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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Maier H
(2007)
Tungsten and beryllium armour development for the JET ITER-like wall project
in Nuclear Fusion
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Merrifield J
(2007)
Intermittency, dissipation, and scaling in two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence
in Physics of Plasmas
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AOKI M
(2007)
Atom-based bond-order potentials for modelling mechanical properties of metals
in Progress in Materials Science
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Lönnroth J
(2007)
Effects of ripple-induced ion thermal transport on H-mode plasma performance
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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Frigione D
(2007)
Pellet injection and high density ITB formation in JET advanced tokamak plasmas
in Nuclear Fusion
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Duffy D
(2007)
Including the effects of electronic stopping and electron-ion interactions in radiation damage simulations
in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter
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Cohen R
(2007)
Current and potential distribution in a divertor with toroidally-asymmetric biasing of the divertor plate
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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Mrovec M
(2007)
Bond-order potential for simulations of extended defects in tungsten
in Physical Review B
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Pitts R
(2007)
ELM transport in the JET scrape-off layer
in Nuclear Fusion
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Matthews G
(2007)
Overview of the ITER-like wall project
in Physica Scripta
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Forrest R
(2007)
Statistical analysis of cross sections-A new tool for data validation
in Fusion Engineering and Design
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CAWKWELL M
(2007)
Atomistic study of athermal cross-slip and its impact on the mechanical properties of iridium
in Acta Materialia
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Kirk A
(2007)
Evolution of the pedestal on MAST and the implications for ELM power loadings
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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DERLET P
(2007)
Million-atom molecular dynamics simulations of magnetic iron
in Progress in Materials Science
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Dnestrovskij Y
(2007)
Analysis of pressure profiles and transport simulations of MAST discharges
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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Neu R
(2007)
Investigation of tungsten coatings on graphite and CFC
in Physica Scripta
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Valovic M
(2007)
On the correlation between density profile and particle flux in H-mode tokamak plasmas and the implication for ITER
in Nuclear Fusion
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NGUYENMANH D
(2007)
Environmental dependence of bonding: A challenge for modelling of intermetallics and fusion materials
in Progress in Materials Science
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Meyer H
(2008)
Active control of the H-mode transition on MAST
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
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Strachan J
(2008)
Modelling of carbon migration during JET 13 C injection experiments
in Nuclear Fusion
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De Vries P
(2008)
Effect of toroidal field ripple on plasma rotation in JET
in Nuclear Fusion
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Meyer H
(2009)
Overview of physics results from MAST
in Nuclear Fusion
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Maddison G
(2009)
Dimensionless pedestal identity plasmas on Alcator C-Mod and JET
in Nuclear Fusion
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Llewellyn Smith C
(2009)
The path to fusion power
in The European Physical Journal Special Topics