Conceptual Design of a Cassette Compact Toroid Reactor (The Zero-Phase Study) — Quick Replacement of the Reactor Core

A study of a conceptual design for a “cassette” compact toroid reactor has been performed that emphasizes quick replacement handling. The core plasma, spheromak, is ohmically heated in a merging process between the core plasma and the gun-produced spheromak. The quick handling of replacement accomplished by using afunctional material, a shape memory alloy (SMA) joint, which is proposed for release from firstwall high neutron loading in a newly devised mechanical and structural method. The SMA joint can be used for connecting or disconnecting the coupling by simply controlling the SMA temperature without the need for a robot system. Effective heat removal from the first wall and thermal and electromagnetic stress in a fusion core with very high heat flux are discussed from an engineering standpoint.