An overview of shared technical challenges for magnetic and inertial fusion power plant development

Fusion energy is an area of active development and innovation worldwide, with many design concepts studied, each exhibiting a range of technical challenges. A significant portion of technical challenges will be unique for a given design concept; however, there are several overarching challenges that any design must address to some degree. These include tritium handling and the tritium cycle; materials and their survivability in the high-energy neutron environment of D-T fusion; neutronics and the validation of nuclear data; remote handling and maintenance activities; and integrated holistic approaches to fusion plant design. This paper provides an overview of these aspects for magnetic and inertial fusion approaches with a view to highlighting commonality and the benefits of shared knowledge that this may bring. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy (part 2)'.

Automated summary

Fusion energy is a globally active area of development and innovation, with various design concepts and technical challenges. While specific challenges may differ between designs, there are common challenges such as tritium handling, material survivability, and nuclear data validation. By comparing magnetic and inertial fusion approaches, commonalities and benefits of shared knowledge can be highlighted.