CONFINEMENT SYSTEMS

THE SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF FUSION ENERGY REQUIRES THE SOLUTION OF MANY ENGINEERING PROBLEMS, ONE OF WHICH IS THE PROVISION AND MAINTENANCE OF LEAK-TIGHTNESS THROUGH THE SEVERAL SEALS OF THE FUSION ENERGY SYSTEM. THE PROBLEM IS EXACERBATED BY THE HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT OF THE SYSTEM, THE NECESSITY FOR REMOTE OPERATION, THE LARGE SIZE AND FREQUENT NON-CIRCULARITY OF THE SEALS, AND THE NECESSITY FOR DEMOUNTABILITY, I.E. THE ABILITY TO OPEN, THEN RENEW THE SEAL, HOPEFULLY REMOTELY. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY SEALS, WHICH ARE INHERENTLY REMOTELY OPERABLE, IN FUSION ENERGY SYSTEMS. SINCE THE SEAL PROBLEM IN FUSION ENERGY SYSTEMS IS SYSTEM SPECIFIC, THE SEAL FOR THE FEASIBILITY DEMONSTRATION SHOULD BE GENERIC IN ITS GEOMETRY AND DIMENSIONS. SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY SEALS WILL BE DESIGNED, MANUFACTURED, AND TESTED FOR THEIR ABILITY TO FUNCTION IN THE DESIRED APPLICATIONS. IT IS EXPECTED THAT FEASIBILITY WILL BE SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED, AND PHASES II AND III WILL RESULT IN COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE SEALS FOR USE IN NEWER GENERATION FUSION SYSTEMS.