Time-dependent power requirements for pulsed fusion reactors in systems codes

Abstract

The investigation of time-dependent power requirements for a future nuclear fusion reactor is part of the systems integration task for the European Fusion Programme. A pulsed DEMO will require intermittent and continuous electrical power to operate the various plant systems. For example, the heating and current drive system will require power during Ip start-up, heating, plasma burn and Ip ramp-down phases. This paper presents the modelling of these power requirements over the whole pulse cycle for all plant systems in the systems code PROCESS. In the EUROfusion baseline case the continuous power requirements are −290MW and are dominated by the primary coolant pumping requirements. The total intermittent power requirements range from −50 to −375MW. The time between pulses strongly influences the average plant net electrical power production and for a power plant would have to be minimised to stay commercially viable. The EUROfusion DEMO baseline is estimated to produce enough electrical power to meet the machine's aims given the current burn time, time between pulses and power requirements.