[en] An area monitoring network system, RMSAFE, has been developed at NIFS for the application to the LHD fusion plasma experiment. Radiation emissions of intermittent burst-like pulses will be detected and measured in a passive monitoring way. Preliminary operations have been made. (author)

[en] The main theme of the 11th European Tokamak Programme Workshop was the physics of steady-state operation of fusion plasmas. In addition, the latest results of JET and the status of ITER were presented and discussed. The physical questions arising with increasing duration of the plasma pulse, up to stationary operation, were addressed. The issues involved in operating a fusion reactor either in a pulsed or in a stationary mode were also considered. The discussions covered not only tokamaks, but also stellarators which are intrinsically stationary systems. (author)

[en] The final phase of the feasibility demonstration of fusion, namely the construction and operation of ITER, will require a large and prolonged effort and strong determination by all parties involved. The time is therefore appropriate to revisit the motivations in support of fusion development. The supply of energy would become an issue today if due consideration were given not only to the limits 'internal' to the energy systems but also to those 'external', to it. The first ones are not so stringent because reserves in particular of fossil fuels are ample, but the second ones are very stringent because of the limited capability of self-regeneration of the environment. Energy consumption is anticipated to triple in the next 50 years and if the share among the sources remains as of now the risk of a major climate change due to the release of CO₂ from burning of fossil fuels, with catastrophic consequences on the environment, is high. The development of sources with better compatibility with the environment and acceptable to society, such as fusion, as well as of more efficient energy technologies, should be pursued with a great determination. The potential of fusion as an energy source could be demonstrated in all of its main aspects by carrying out the ITER programme. (orig.)

[en] This summary first gives an overall classification of presentations made during this conference on this topic, introduces the major topics of the sessions and ends with a summary on the status of the ITER design and of new devices, reactors and technology as covered by the conference proceedings. Among the new devices, specific attention is given to the JT-60SU (the JT-60 Super Upgrade), the Tokamak Physics Experiment (TPX), Ignitor and, in three presentations, compact tokamaks; these may be regarded as devices complementary to ITER on the way to realizing a fusion DEMO reactor. 3 refs, 3 tabs

[en] Fusion performance in DIII-D low-q single-null divertor discharges has doubled as a result of improved confinement and stability, achieved through modification of pressure and current density profiles. These discharges extend the regime of neoclassical core confinement associated with negative or weak central magnetic shear to plasmas with the low safety factor (q₉₅∼3) and triangularity (δ∼0.3) anticipated in future tokamaks such as ITER. Energy confinement times exceed the ITER-89P L- mode scaling law by up to a factor of 4, and are almost twice as large as in previous single-null cases with 3≤q₉₅≤4. The normalized beta [β(aB/I)] reaches values as high as 4, comparable to the best previous single-null discharges. Although high triangularity allows a larger plasma current, the fusion gain in these low triangularity plasmas is similar to that of high triangularity double-null plasmas at the same plasma current. These results are encouraging for advanced performance operation in ITER and for D-T experiments in JET

[en] An agreement was signed in July 1992 by Euratom and the governments of Japan, Russia, and the United States of America with the objective of demonstrating the scietific and technical uses of fusion for peaceful purposes. After a concept development phase, the engineering design activities (EDA) were decided on in 1992 for an International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (Iter). A machine is to be designed within EDA which allows a fusion plasma to be ignited and kept burning under controlled conditions. The technologies used are to be typical of a reactor, and are to allow integrated tests to be performed of the components for heat transfer and of the nuclear systems. The report contains an outline of the fusion process, of the Tokamak principle employed in Iter, and of the properties of fusion energy. The purposes of EDA, the technical data to be derived from that stage, and the design status of the components typical of fusion plants are discussed. In addition, a description is given of the organization, the timetable, and the cost planning of the project. (orig.)

[en] The use is demonstrated of the newly developed ECN-SUSD sensitivity/uncertainty code system. With ECN-SUSD it is possible to calculate uncertainties in response parameters in fixed source calculations due to cross section uncertainties (using MF33) as well as to uncertainties in angular distributions (using MF34). It is shown that the latter contribution, which is generally neglected because of the lack of MF34-data in modern evaluations (except for EFF), is large in fusion reactor shielding calculations. (orig.)

[en] A centerpiece of almost any discussion about the future of magnetic fusion is the proposed International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). This paper consists of two parts - views for and against the continuation of the ITER project. 5 refs

[en] The aim of nuclear fusion research is to reproduce on earth the energy generating process of the sun and derive energy from the fusion of atomic nuclei. This is to be done by confining the fuel, a low-density hydrogen plasma, in magnetic fields and heating it to high temperatures of over 100 million degrees. Research has made major progress on the way to a burning plasma. JET, the joint European experiment, is just a factor of 6 short of achieving plasma ignition. ITER, the test reactor now being planned in international cooperation, is intended to produce the first burning plasma providing energy over a long period. (orig.)

[en] This issue of the ITER EDA (Engineering Design Activities) Newsletter reports on the ITER divertor development project and its objectives; contains a report on the 16th Energy IAEA Fusion Conference (ITER and other Tokamak Issues) held in Montreal, Canada; 287 papers were selected by the Programme Committee for presentation and 178 posters were presented. 3 figs