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
Dieckmann M
(2006)
Phase speed of electrostatic waves: the critical parameter for efficient electron surfing acceleration
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Bonheure G
(2006)
Neutron profiles and fuel ratio n T / n D measurements in JET ELMy H-mode plasmas with tritium puff
in Nuclear Fusion
Guirlet R
(2006)
Parametric dependences of impurity transport in tokamaks
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Batista A
(2006)
An FPGA-based multi-rate interpolator with real-time rate change for a JET test-bench system
in IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science
Chapman I
(2006)
Modeling the effect of toroidal plasma rotation on drift-magnetohydrodynamic modes in tokamaks
in Physics of Plasmas
Fülöp T
(2006)
Destabilization of magnetosonic-whistler waves by a relativistic runaway beam
in Physics of Plasmas
Kirk A
(2006)
Evolution of filament structures during edge-localized modes in the MAST Tokamak.
in Physical review letters
Gates D
(2006)
Effect of plasma shaping on performance in the National Spherical Torus Experiment
in Physics of Plasmas
Connor J
(2006)
Magnetic geometry, plasma profiles, and stability
in Plasma Physics Reports
Crowley B
(2006)
Measurement of the electron energy distribution function by a Langmuir probe in an ITER-like hydrogen negative ion source
in Nuclear Fusion
Jenkins M
(2006)
Electron microscope weak-beam imaging of stacking fault tetrahedra: observations and simulations
in Journal of Materials Science
Dnestrovskij Y
(2006)
Simulation of internal transport barriers by means of the canonical profile transport model
in Plasma Physics Reports
Nguyen-Manh D
(2006)
Multi-scale modelling of defect behavior in bcc transition metals and iron alloys for future fusion power plants
in Materials Science and Engineering: A
Christiansen J
(2006)
Self-consistent plasma modelling by Monte Carlo test particles
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Pinches S
(2006)
Observation and modelling of fast ion loss in JET and ASDEX Upgrade
in Nuclear Fusion
McDonald D
(2006)
The dimensionless scaling of ELMy H-mode confinement
in Comptes Rendus. Physique
Sircombe N
(2006)
Kinetic effects in laser-plasma coupling: Vlasov theory and computations
in Journal de Physique IV (Proceedings)
Hacquin S
(2006)
X -mode reflectometry measurements in the JET plasma core region
in Review of Scientific Instruments
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
Tala T
(2006)
Fully predictive time-dependent transport simulations of ITB plasmas in JET, JT-60U and DIII-D
in Nuclear 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
Ingesson L
(2006)
Progress on common aspects of the EU-supplied ITER diagnostics and prediction of diagnostic performance
in Review of Scientific Instruments
Mayoral M
(2006)
Hydrogen plasmas with ICRF inverted minority and mode conversion heating regimes in the JET tokamak
in Nuclear Fusion
Pampin R
(2006)
PPCS thermal analysis of bounding accident scenarios using improved computational modelling
in Fusion Engineering and Design