Hydrogen Fusion The frontier in abundant CO 2 -free energy generation

Transcription

1 Hydrogen Fusion The frontier in abundant CO 2 -free energy generation Mark Uhran US ITER Project Office Briefing to: East Tennessee Environmental Business Association 26 September, 2013 Oak Ridge, TN A massive plasma disruption reaches the solar surface and demonstrates the magnetic field lines that form. Image courtesy of NASA/ESA Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope

2 Fusion is the Nuclear Opposite of Fission Fusion: combining Hydrogen isotopes (deuterium 2 H and tritium 3 H typically) Fission: splitting Uranium atoms

3 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 3

4 Benefits of Fusion SAFE: No potential for melt-down or catastrophic failure (no chain reaction) CLEAN: No long-lived, high-level radioactive waste, or carbon emissions ABUNDANT: Essentially unlimited fuel with high density power generation SECURE: No threat of weapons grade material proliferation 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 4

5 Challenges to Fusion The Tokamak Method Producing a million ºC plasma Stabilizing the plasma flows and controlling disruptions Achieving a burning plasma that becomes self-heating Sustaining the fusion reaction to generate energy with a net gain (Q >> 1) Diagram courtesy of: 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 5

6 Fusion Power Already Demonstrated in Tokamaks (scientific proof-of-principle) Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR), 10 MW fusion power (1994) Joint European Torus (JET), 16 MW fusion power (1997) 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 6

7 Performance Has Steadily Increased Progress of Tokamak based fusion research compared to development of semiconductor chips and particle accelerators. (Picture courtesy J. B. Lister, CRPP-EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland) 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 7

8 ITER Envisioned as The Way to Burning Plasma 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 8

9 NRC Burning Plasma Report (2003) The United States should participate in ITER the top priority in a balanced fusion science program. The United States should pursue an appropriate level of involvement in ITER access to all data from ITER, the right to propose and carry out experiments, and a role in producing the high-technology components 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 9

10 The Signatories of the ITER Agreement Elysée Palace, Paris, November 21, 2006 with French President Jacques Chirac From left to right: Vladimir Travin (Deputy Director of the Federal Atomic Energy Agency, Russian Federation), Kim Woo Sik (Vice Prime-Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology, Korea), Takeshi Iwaya (Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Japan), José Manuel Barroso (President of the European Commission), Jacques Chirac (President of the French Republic), Xu Guanhua (Minister of Science and Technology, People's Republic of China), Anil Kakodhar (Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy), Dr. Raymond Orbach (Under Secretary for Science, U.S. Department of Energy), and Janez Potočnik (European Commissioner for Science and Research). 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 10

11 ITER is a Special Partnership To Address a Global Challenge and Opportunity Return on Investment For < 10% of the construction cost, the U.S. will receive full access to all ITERdeveloped technology and scientific data. 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 11

12 ITER Headquarters Cadarache, France Photo: ITER Organization 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 12

13 ITER Site 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 13

14 Tokamak Pit February 2013 Photo: MatthieuCOLIN.com 9/26/13 / ITER Organization ETEBA Overview/Uhran 14

15 US Scope is Managed by ORNL in Partnership with PPPL, SRNL and US Industry ORNL 100% Central Solenoid Windings PPPL 14% of Port-based Diagnostics ORNL 8% of Toroidal Field Conductor ORNL 88% Ion Cyclotron Transmission Lines ORNL 100% Pellet Injector 100% Disruption Mitigation ORNL 88% Electron Cyclotron Transmission Lines ORNL Blanket/Shield (design only) ORNL 100% Tokamak Cooling Water System PPPL 75% Steady State Electrical Network SCALE PPPL In-Vessel Coils (prelim. design only) ORNL 100% Roughing Pumps, Vacuum Standard Components SRNL 100% Tokamak Exhaust Processing System 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 15

16 Central Solenoid Magnet ~ 1,000 Metric Tons (100% made in US) 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 16

17 Toroidal Field Coil Magnets (8% TF superconducting cable made in US) 11.8 Tesla 41 GJ 400 MN centering force 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 17

18 Over 80% of Project Funding will be Spent in the US $156.1M in Tennessee to-date As of March 2013, over $476M has been awarded to US industry, universities and obligated to DOE national laboratories in 38 states plus the District of Columbia. (This data does not reflect contracts awarded to US Industry by the EU (>$55M) or Korea (>$23M). 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 18

19 US ITER Obligations in Tennessee 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 19

20 New US Industrial Capacity is Engaged and Growing Continuing transition from design to procurement and fabrication. Technical challenges are largely solved, moving to manufacturing. US industry is engaged, and US technology is advancing. 9/26/13 ETEBA Overview/Uhran 20