Research and development contributions to fusion technology - Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe

Nuclear fusion is a possibility ensuring, on a long-term basis, the continuity of energy supply, for nuclear fusion makes use of almost unlimited fuel resources. In nuclear fusion, roughly one order of magnitude of energy more is released per unit mass of fuel than in nuclear fusion. Work on fusion technology is performed with the long-term objective in mind of a fusion power plant. The next steps to be taken in the development concept are the construction of a large experimental facility of the tokanak type (Iter) and a large plasma physics experiment of the stellarator line (W7-X). The technologies required for these two plants have been developed by and large. The components are currently being manufactured and tested as prototype models. Developing a suitable material for the nuclear components of a fusion power reactor will become the key issue, after the technological problems will have been solved step by step, on which the economic viability and the environmental compatibility of fusion reactors depend.