The mobile reactor concept as applied to testing of compact fusion reactors

Compact fusion reactor concepts have recently received increased emphasis because of advantages principally related to their low cost and short development time. Physics experiments are underway and test results are sufficiently encouraging to merit consideration of ''ignition''-type experiments. Since experiments of this nature involve radioactivity, the requirement for test facilities which incorporate remote handling capabilities becomes apparent. One approach to a test facility concept which has particularly attractive features is based on the mobile test reactor concept employing facilities such as are found at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). The mobile reactor test concept was developed in the 1950s and was used extensively in the testing of aircraft nuclear propulsion reactors at the INEL. In this instance, test reactors were assembled on a dolly and were transported to and from test facilities on a fourrail track system. Nuclear operations were conducted from heavily shielded underground control rooms and, for major maintenance operations, the reactors were ''unplugged'' and returned to a large, centrally located ''hot'' shop. A similar concept is envisioned for compact fusion reactor testing