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
Nightingale M
(2009)
Overview on Experiments On ITER-like Antenna On JET And ICRF Antenna Design For ITER
Nicol R
(2009)
QUANTIFYING THE ANISOTROPY AND SOLAR CYCLE DEPENDENCE OF "1/ f " SOLAR WIND FLUCTUATIONS OBSERVED BY ADVANCED COMPOSITION EXPLORER
in The Astrophysical Journal
Nicol R
(2008)
The Signature of Evolving Turbulence in Quiet Solar Wind as Seen by Ulysses
in The Astrophysical Journal
Nicholls R
(2008)
How the bond length can affect C 70 DOS and EEL spectra
in Journal of Physics: Conference Series
Nicholls R
(2009)
The effect of structural changes on ELNES for C 60
in Chemical Physics Letters
Nguyen-Manh D
(2009)
Model many-body Stoner Hamiltonian for binary FeCr alloys
in Physical Review B
Nguyen-Manh D
(2008)
Dislocation Driven Problems in Atomistic Modelling of Materials
in MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS
Nguyen-Manh D
(2009)
Magnetic properties of point defect interaction with impurity atoms in Fe-Cr alloys
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
Nguyen-Manh D
(2008)
Ab initio and Monte Carlo modeling in Fe-Cr system: Magnetic origin of anomalous thermodynamic and kinetic properties
in Computational Materials Science
Nguyen-Manh D
(2008)
The Fe-Cr system: atomistic modelling of thermodynamics and kinetics of phase transformations
in Comptes Rendus. Physique
Neto A
(2009)
Linux real-time framework for fusion devices
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Nazikian R
(2008)
Excitation of Alfvén eigenmodes by low energy beam ions in the DIII-D and JET tokamaks
in Physics of Plasmas
Nardon E
(2009)
Edge localized mode control experiments on MAST using resonant magnetic perturbations from in-vessel coils
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Nardon E
(2010)
Quasi-linear MHD modelling of H-mode plasma response to resonant magnetic perturbations
in Nuclear Fusion
Nardon E
(2009)
ELM control by resonant magnetic perturbations on JET and MAST
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
N J Conway (Co-Author)
(2008)
Measurements of plasma rotation in the MAST tokamak using high resolution charge-exchange spectroscopy
Murari A
(2009)
Unbiased and non-supervised learning methods for disruption prediction at JET
in Nuclear Fusion
Murari A
(2008)
Measuring the radiation field and radiation hard detectors at JET: Recent developments
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Murari A
(2008)
Innovative diagnostics for ITER physics addressed in JET
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Murari A
(2009)
Recent developments in data mining and soft computing for JET with a view on ITER
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Murakami M
(2009)
Off-axis neutral beam current drive for advanced scenario development in DIII-D
in Nuclear Fusion
Muir D
(2008)
MAST's Integrated Data Access Management system: IDAM
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Moreau D
(2008)
A two-time-scale dynamic-model approach for magnetic and kinetic profile control in advanced tokamak scenarios on JET
in Nuclear Fusion
Molchanov P
(2008)
Comparison of measured and simulated parallel flows at the edge plasma of MAST
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Milnes J
(2009)
Qualitative assessment of RANS models for Hypervapotron flow and heat transfer
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Militello F
(2009)
Effect of current corrugations on the stability of the tearing mode
in Physics of Plasmas
Militello F
(2009)
Error field penetration in the presence of diamagnetic effects
in Nuclear Fusion
Michael C
(2008)
Change of fluctuation properties during non-local temperature rise in LHD from 2d phase contrast imaging
in Journal of Physics: Conference Series
Meyer H
(2009)
Overview of physics results from MAST
in Nuclear Fusion
Meyer H
(2008)
The structure, evolution and role of the radial edge electric field in H-mode and L-mode on MAST
in Journal of Physics: Conference Series
Meszaros B
(2010)
Preliminary Investigation of Optical-Path-Related Elements in the Port Plug of ITER Core LIDAR Diagnostics
in IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science
Mertens P
(2009)
A bulk tungsten divertor row for the outer strike point in JET
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Mertens P
(2009)
Development and qualification of a bulk tungsten divertor row for JET
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
McKay R
(2008)
Test-particle simulations of collisional impurity transport in rotating spherical tokamak plasmas
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
McDonald D
(2017)
Chapter 3: ELMy H-Mode Operation in JET
in Fusion Science and Technology
McDonald D
(2008)
JET confinement studies and their scaling to high ß N , ITER scenarios
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
McClements K
(2009)
The orbital dynamics and collisional transport of trace massive impurity ions in rotating tokamaks
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
McClements K
(2009)
INERTIAL ALFVÉN WAVE ACCELERATION OF SOLAR FLARE ELECTRONS
in The Astrophysical Journal
McArdle G
(2008)
Adaptation of the MAST passive current simulation model for real-time plasma control
in Fusion Engineering and Design
McAdams R
(2008)
Low Temperature Plasma Assisted Catalytic Reduction of NO x in Simulated Marine Diesel Exhaust
in Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing
Matthews G
(2009)
Current status of the JET ITER-like Wall Project
in Physica Scripta
Matthews G
(2009)
Development of divertor tungsten coatings for the JET ITER-like wall
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
Mattei M
(2009)
ITER operational space for full plasma current H-mode operation
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Masiello A
(2009)
European programme towards the 1MeV ITER NB injector
in Fusion Engineering and Design
Martin P
(2009)
Overview of RFX-mod results
in Nuclear Fusion
Martin J
(2008)
Modelling dust transport in tokamaks
in EPL (Europhysics Letters)
Marot L
(2009)
Reactivity of rhodium during co-deposition of rhodium and carbon
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
| 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 |