ABSTRACT
Fusion power is produced by nuclear fusion, which causes two lighter atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus. The latter weighs slightly less than the total of the two nuclei. According to Albert Einstein’s famed formula E = mc2, the small difference in mass m is transformed into energy E, where c is the speed of light approximating 3 × 108 m/s. Hence fusion has great potential for energy production, which means practical production of net usable power from a fusion system. Most design studies for fusion power plants thus involve in enabling fusion reactions to produce heat, which is used to rotate electric generator to
CONTENTS
15.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................. 377 15.1.1 Principles of Fusion ............................................................................................... 377 15.1.2 BeneŒts of Fusion as Energy Source and for Hydrogen Production .............. 379 15.1.3 History of Fusion Energy Research ....................................................................380 15.1.4 The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor ................................383
