FUSION-REACTOR SAFETY - ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVE

Fusion reactors have inherent safety advantages, but also have sources of potential hazards to cause undue radiation exposure to the public and site personnel if the reliability of engineered measures is not ad equate. In order to avoid realization of potential hazards of nuclear facilities, the safety regulation of design, construction and operatio n is implemented through governmental licenses. The International Ther monuclear Experimental Reactor, whose engineering design activity is o ngoing will be the first challenge to demonstrating licensable fusion reactor safety. From the view point of licensable safety, this paper r eviews prospective safety principles, safety requirements, issues in e nsuring reliability and necessary research and development for fusion reactors. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.