Magnetic confinment and fusion reactor technology

The first part of the course (I semester) will provide a qualitative and semi-quantitative understanding of the physics principles at the basis of the magnetic confinement of toroidal plasmas, focusing on tokamak plasmas. Topics: 1. Introduction to controlled fusion; 2. Basics of magnetic confinement of toroidal plasmas; 3. Basic properties of plasmas: oscillation frequency, Coulomb collisions, characteristic times, resistivity, gyration motion, drift velocities; 4. Basics of equilibrium, stability and transport in toroidal systems: equilibrium and pressure balance, stability, classical, neoclassical and turbulent transport; 5 Tokamaks: operational limits due to magneto-hydrodynamic instabilities, scaling laws of magnetic confinement, ohmic confinement, L (low) and H (high) confinement mode, Lawson and Ignition criteria; 6 Plasma heating: ohmic heating, wave heating, alpha heating, neutral beam injection, noninductive current generation; 7 Physics characteristics of the ITER and Ignitor projects; 8 Overview of computer codes to study the confinement and evolution of fusion plasmas.

The second part of the course (II semester) will provide elements for the understanding and knowledge on the following topics: 1. Energy balances and fuel cycle; 2. Special materials; 3. Thermo-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical issues; 4. Plasma-wall interaction; 5. Superconducting magnets; 6. Cryogenics; 7. Vacuum systems; 8. Tritium breeding and blanket design; 9. Magneto-hydrodynamics