Research of controlled thermonuclear fusion reactor

Concerning the conceptual design of the fusion experimental reactor (FER) in the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, which is the next step following the critical plasma testing facility ''JT-60'', the design study of a tokamak type nuclear fusion reactor was carried out. This reactor is required to satisfy the target of self ignition and such concrete conditions as the correlation with future reactors and reliability. In this study, the driving of plasma current was advanced from the conventional pulse type using a current transformer to the steady type using high frequency current, and mainly the problems of reactor engineering was examined. As the results, as impurity control, a double-null diverter was adopted, and the holding by remote operation is possible, steady operation was carried out by driving plasma current with compressible Alfven high frequency waves, the high rate of tritium multiplication was able to be expected, and the construction was simplified by adopting the advantage of a steady reactor. In this way, the concept of reactor construction adapting to the various conditions of the next step reactor was able to be obtained. The trend of development, the structural concept of tokamak type nuclear fusion reactors and the components of the reactor main body are described. (Kako, I.)