ITER
ITER is a proposed international experiment designed to show the scientific and technological feasability of a fusion power reactor. The experiment will be a tokamak, and will be considerably larger than any previously constructed magnetic confinement device.
The name was originally an acronym for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, but as the size and scope of the experiment were scaled down to reduce the cost, the claim to be an experimental reactor was dropped. The word 'iter' means 'the way' in Latin and so the name is now used as a reference to ITER being the way to harnessing nuclear fusion as a peaceful power source.
ITER seeks to generate self-sustained, magnetically-confined fusion reactions ("burning plasma") for significant periods of time. This step is critical to the development of fusion as a viable energy source. Recent scientific developments have advanced knowledge of this field to the point that many scientists now believe ITER can demonstrate the feasibility of this technology as part of an ongoing effort to develop a practical energy-generating device. If successful, ITER would create the first fusion device capable of producing thermal energy comparable to the output of a power plant.
ITER plans to test many of the features needed for a commercial power plant - high-temperature-tolerant components, large-scale reliable superconducting magnets, fuel-breeding blankets using high temperature coolants suitable for efficient electricity generation, and safe remote handling and disposal of all irradiated components. ITER's operating conditions are close to those that will be experienced in a power reactor, and would hopefully show how they can be optimised, and how hardware design margins can be reduced to control cost.
ITER began in 1985 as a collaboration between the then Soviet Union, the USA, Europe (through EURATOM) and Japan. Conceptual and engineering design phases led to an acceptable detailed design in 2001, underpinned by $650M worth of research and development by the "ITER Parties" to establish its practical feasibility. These (with the Russian Federation replacing the Soviet Union and with the USA opting out of the project between 1999 and 2003) have been since joined in negotiations on the future construction, operation and decommissioning of ITER by Canada (who terminated their participation at the end of 2003), the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Korea. The project is expected cost ~$10 billion over its complete life. The location of ITER has not been decided yet and is currently (as of 2004) debated; currently debated possible sites are Cadarache in France and Rokkasho-mura in Japan. Recent negociations between Japan and Europe, aiming at finding a compromise, have failed. "The Japanese have not yet given up, the Europeans will never give up, negotiations are on their way", a diplomat said. Since the middle of October 2004, Europe has started evaluating the possibilty of continuing with the project alone. [1]
ITER will run in parallel with a materials test facility, the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility or IFMIF, which will develop materials suitable for use in the extreme conditions that will be found in future fusion power plants. Both of these will be followed by a demonstration power plant, DEMO, which would generate electricity. A prototype plant to follow DEMO would be the first to produce commercial power.
ITER will produce approximately 500MW of fusion power in a steady-state (compared to JET's peak of 16MW over less than a second), utilising super-conducting magnets and ion-cyclotron heating.
See also
External links
- Political progress on the project
- ITER home page, includes pictures and diagrams available to use for educational purposes
- FIRE home page, with current news on ITER and other burning plasma developments
- IFMIF home page.
- Fusion Energy Educational Web Site of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
- Opps, not yet