UK Fusion Programme 2008-2010
Lead Research Organisation:
CCFE/UKAEA
Department Name: Culham Centre for Fusion Energy
Abstract
Fusion is the main energy source of the universe; it is the process that powers the sun and the stars. If it can be harnessed economically on earth, it has the potential to be an important component of the portfolio of measures needed to ensure a secure, environmentally responsible, supply of energy, at a time when fossil fuels will be becoming increasingly expensive. There is increasing realisation of this potential as reflected by the launch of the International Tokamak Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, being built in France, which will be the first fusion device to achieve energy gain and sustained burn.In a fusion reaction, large amounts of energy are released when the nuclei of two light atoms fuse together at extremely high temperatures to create a nucleus of a larger atom. In the most promising way to achieve these conditions on earth, strong magnetic fields in a tokamak configuration are used to control and confine the high temperature plasma.UKAEA's Culham Science Centre in Oxfordshire is one of the world's leading fusion research centres, and 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. International co-operation is strong with the focus on the International Tokamak Experimental Reactor (ITER). EURATOM part-funds all national programmes in Europe including the UK's.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, utilising parallel- and super-computing facilities, supports the experimental programmes and contributes to the research and development of fusion materials and to studies of conceptual fusion power stations. The UK leads the research and development of two ITER specialist (diagnostic and heating) systems, and participates in several others 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 technology are pursued strongly, where the research overlaps with fusion R&D, and increasingly there are fusion researchers in universities with whom UKAEA works.The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the European Commission fund, provide advice and monitor the UK fusion programme (some of the European funding / for work on ITER systems - is now channelled through the new Fusion for Energy Agency in Barcelona). The Fusion Advisory Board (FAB) advises EPSRC and UKAEA on the programme and on the longer-term strategy for fusion research at Culham; FAB receives reports from the MAST Programme Advisory Committee, a sub-group on ITER and industry, and an annual UK Fusion Materials Forum.
Organisations
Publications
Reshko M
(2008)
Effects of impurities on electron temperature gradient modes
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Llewellyn Smith C
(2008)
Fusion
in Energy Policy
A Thyagaraja (Co-Author)
(2008)
Transport barriers in two dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence
Gatu Johnson M
(2008)
The 2.5-MeV neutron time-of-flight spectrometer TOFOR for experiments at JET
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
N J Conway (Co-Author)
(2008)
Measurements of plasma rotation in the MAST tokamak using high resolution charge-exchange spectroscopy
Brix M
(2008)
Accuracy of EFIT equilibrium reconstruction with internal diagnostic information at JET.
in The Review of scientific instruments
Abel I
(2008)
Linearized model Fokker-Planck collision operators for gyrokinetic simulations. I. Theory
in Physics of Plasmas
Schneider W
(2008)
Comparison of the IOFFE neutral particle analyser with the Princeton analyser on the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak
in Vacuum
Tojo H
(2008)
Poloidal mode analysis of magnetic probe data in a spherical tokamak configuration.
in The Review of scientific instruments
Windsor C
(2008)
Prediction of the Charpy transition temperature in highly irradiated ferritic steels
in Modelling and Simulation in Materials Science and Engineering
Nicholls R
(2008)
How the bond length can affect C 70 DOS and EEL spectra
in Journal of Physics: Conference Series
R O Dendy (Co-Author)
(2008)
Statistical properties of edge plasma turbulence in the Mega-Amp Spherical Tokamak and the Large Helical Device
De Vries P
(2008)
Scaling of rotation and momentum confinement in JET plasmas
in Nuclear Fusion
A Sykes (Author)
(2008)
The science of Spherical Tokamak plasmas: Progress and promise
Nicol R
(2008)
The Signature of Evolving Turbulence in Quiet Solar Wind as Seen by Ulysses
in The Astrophysical Journal
V Kiptily (Co-Author)
(2008)
Super-heated fluid detectors for neutron measurements at JET
in Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials
S E Sharapov (Co-Author)
(2008)
Study of the spectral characteristics and the nonlinear evolution of ELMs on JET using a wavelet analysis
G P Maddison (Author)
(2008)
Dimensionless pedestal identity plasmas on Alcator C-Mod and JET
Angelone M
(2008)
Development of single crystal diamond neutron detectors and test at JET tokamak
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
C D Challis (Co-Author)
(2008)
Radial analysis of beta-limiting modes in JET
Perez Von Thun C
(2008)
Identifying the MHD signature and power deposition characteristics associated with type-II ELMs in ASDEX Upgrade
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Kirk A
(2008)
Comparison of the filament behaviour observed during type I ELMs in ASDEX upgrade and MAST
in Journal of Physics: Conference Series
Craciunescu T
(2008)
The maximum likelihood reconstruction method for JET neutron tomography
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Ward D
(2008)
Economically competitive fusion
in Materials Today
Belo P
(2008)
Numerical simulation of hydrogenic and impurity flows in the boundary plasma on JET
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Dewhurst J
(2008)
Statistical properties of edge plasma turbulence in the Large Helical Device
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
V Kiptily (Co-Author)
(2008)
Mechanical design of the upgraded JET gamma-ray cameras
in Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials
M-D Hua (Author)
(2008)
Scaling of rotation and momentum confinement in JET plasmas
Hirai T
(2008)
Thermal load testing of erosion-monitoring beryllium marker tile for the ITER-Like Wall Project at JET
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Valovic M
(2008)
Particle confinement of pellet-fuelled tokamak plasma
in Nuclear Fusion
Solano E
(2008)
ELMs and strike point movements
in Nuclear Fusion
Ma P
(2008)
Large-scale simulation of the spin-lattice dynamics in ferromagnetic iron
in Physical Review B
Istenic M
(2008)
A 1-MV Magnetically Insulated Tesla Transformer
in IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science
McDonald D
(2008)
JET confinement studies and their scaling to high ß N , ITER scenarios
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Flanagan J
(2008)
The effect of periodicity on the defect modes of large mode area microstructured fibers
in Optics Express
Beurskens M
(2008)
Pedestal and ELM response to impurity seeding in JET advanced scenario plasmas
in Nuclear Fusion
Razumova K
(2009)
Tokamak plasma self-organization and the possibility to have the peaked density profile in ITER
in Nuclear Fusion
S D Pinches (Author)
(2009)
Fast particle instabilities in MAST
G Maddison (Author)
(2009)
Impurity-seeding experiments on JET in preparation for the ITER-like Wall
Fitzgerald S
(2009)
Interaction between dislocations in bcc iron at high temperature
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
De Vries P
(2009)
Internal transport barrier dynamics with plasma rotation in JET
in Nuclear Fusion
Airila M
(2009)
ERO modelling of local deposition of injected 13 C tracer at the outer divertor of JET
in Physica Scripta
J McCone (Author)
(2009)
Comparison of measured poloidal rotation in MAST plasmas with neoclassical predictions
Connor J
(2009)
13th EU-US Transport Task Force Workshop on transport in fusion plasmas
in Nuclear Fusion
Y Q Liu (Co-Author)
(2009)
Multimodal ITER RWM analysis including 3D conducting structures
Vrancken M
(2009)
Scattering-matrix arc detection on the JET ITER-like ICRH antenna
in Fusion Engineering and Design
McClements K
(2009)
INERTIAL ALFVÉN WAVE ACCELERATION OF SOLAR FLARE ELECTRONS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Shinohara K
(2009)
Effects of ferromagnetic components on energetic ion confinement in ITER
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Lisgo S
(2009)
Interpretation of spatially resolved helium line ratios on MAST
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
Sánchez Burillo G
(2009)
Analysis of the radial transport of tracers in a turbulence simulation
in Physics of Plasmas
Description | Fusion research is focused on ITER (the international experiment being built in France) followed by a demonstration power station (DEMO). The Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) is a world-leading fusion research centre. Some highlights from the last two years are summarised below (many the result of collaborations with universities and overseas laboratories). Additional information is in Annual Reports (http://www.ccfe.ac.uk/annual_reports.aspx). Reacting plasmas: The UK programme, funded by EPSRC and EURATOM, is focused on the MAST experiment. Physics studies benefited from high power heating systems and improvements to diagnostics. A major upgrade to the system to measure temperature and density profiles (part funded by York University) was completed and provides unmatched spatial resolution. Important progress from both MAST, and the linked Theory and Modelling programme, has been made in several key areas directly relevant to optimising ITER performance:- energy confinement, enabling more reliable prediction of plasma performance in future devices; control of potentially damaging instabilities; improved understanding of performance limiting core and edge plasma instabilities; gas injection to mitigate the effects of rapid plasma terminations (disruptions), etc. CCFE has contributed to the European JET programme, with notable achievements including operation at high power and current, and substantial progress in scenarios that are suitable for steady state operation in ITER. The EPSRC grant pays the UK contribution to JET operation. Materials: Work included: development of techniques for modelling iron-chromium alloys in the high-temperature limit; modelling of steels and tungsten to compare with experimental data from Oxford University; Ion Beam Analysis measurements of erosion, deposition and hydrogen-isotope retention in tiles removed from the JET tokamak. ITER Systems: CCFE has secured lead roles in two major grants to develop ITER heating systems, and leads a consortium to bid for the LIDAR temperature and density measurement system. CCFE has smaller roles in several other areas. Optimised power plants: Work has concentrated on a detailed assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of pulsed and steady-state DEMOs. Several clear advantages in a steady-state device were identified, however the potential simplification in a pulsed device (greatly reduced need for current drive) is a significant counter-advantage. Conceptual design studies of a spherical tokamak Component Test Facility have continued. A big challenge for any fusion system is dealing with the large exhaust power from burning plasmas. One novel promising option, for both DEMO and CTF, which will be part of the MAST upgrade, is the "Super-X" expanded divertor. Major upgrade to MAST: the design has been developed. The purpose is to give higher performance, longer pulse plasmas allowing definitive tests of the physics of an ST-based CTF, and more exacting studies of ITER physics. In late 2009, RCUK reviewed UK fusion research and following this EPSRC approved funding for the upgrade. In addition CCFE has promoted industry involvement in fusion and significantly assisted UK companies in winning ITER business, increased university involvement (e.g. PhDs), and developed its skills-base for an increased emphasis on technology as recommended by the RCUK review. |
Exploitation Route | In addition CCFE has promoted industry involvement in fusion and significantly assisted UK companies in winning ITER business, increased university involvement (e.g. PhDs), and developed its skills-base for an increased emphasis on technology as recommended by the RCUK review. |
Sectors | Energy |
URL | http://www.ccfe.ac.uk/annual_reports.aspx |
Description | As well as its long term task, developing fusion power, CCFE has promoted industry involvement in fusion. |
First Year Of Impact | 2008 |
Sector | Energy |
Impact Types | Economic |