STATUS AND PROSPECTS FOR FUSION ENERGY FROM MAGNETICALLY CONFINED PLASMAS

A broad review is presented of the status and outlook of achieving fus ion energy production by the confinement of high temperature plasmas w ith magnetic fields. The paper describes the basic features of the fus ion process, plasma confinement principles and concepts with emphasis on the Tokamak, issues of materials development, descriptions of the m ajor components and subsystems of fusion reactors, prospects for power plants, the policy in the United States of magnetic fusion energy and the international aspects of this endeavor. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.