The impact of plasma heating efficiency on the power balance of powerplant fusion reactors

In a fusion powerplant, the physical processes occurring in the plasma and the characteristics of the energy conversion equipment interact in a complex way to determine limits on the ion number density, kinetic temperature, and containment time within which fusion power production is possible. Lawson's classic analysis is extended to include reactors with net electrical power input or output, and to plasma heating equipment which functions with less than 100% efficiency. The results can be summarized by a Lawson diagram in which the efficiency of the energy conversion equipment eta, is replaced with the product of this efficiency, the efficiency of the plasma heating equipment eta/sub 1/, and the recirculating power fraction, F