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Nuclear fusion: What of the future? 5

Richard Kembleton 1
EUROfusion PMU, Culham Centre for Fusion Research, UKAEA, Abingdon,
United Kingdom
1
Corresponding author: Richard.kemp@ukaea.uk

Chapter Outline

5.1 The promise of fusion 199
5.1.1 Fusion resources 201
5.1.2 Fusion safety 202
5.2 Fusion concepts 203
5.2.1 Magnetic confinement 204
5.2.2 Inertial confinement 206
5.3 Main technology challenges 207
5.3.1 Reactor materials 207
5.3.2 Power exhaust 207
5.3.3 Breeder blanket 209
5.3.4 Superconducting magnets 209
5.3.5 Remote handling 209
5.3.6 Heating and current drive 211
5.3.7 Other plant issues 211
5.4 Fusion’s role in future energy markets 212
5.5 Status of current research 214
5.6 Summary 218
References 218
Further reading 220

5.1 The promise of fusion

Although nuclear fusion is frequently mentioned as an option for a future source of
clean, almost inexhaustible energy, there is much misunderstanding of its nature
and the problems of achieving it. This chapter aims to lay out the basis for fusion’s
claim to being part of a future energy system; the main routes and concepts toward
delivering fusion power; problems remaining to be solved; and how fusion might
contribute to a future energy market.
Nuclear fusion is the process of combining light elements to form heavier ones.
This process releases energy all the way up to iron. However, the temperature and
pressure required for fusion of heavier elements is beyond the reach of processes
outside of a stellar collapse, so we must limit ourselves to isotopes of hydrogen

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