This summary paper looks at progress in plasma experiments, theory and engineering in relation to the design of fusion reactors.
The continuing progress in plasma experiments and theory, as well as in plasma engineering, has made the design of fusion reactors more credible, with the tokamak being the leading candidate, because of its experimental database. The steady improvements in plasma parameters and operation, and successful demonstrations of the new plasma engineering techniques make fusion reactor design increasingly more attractive. Realizing the important of all these topics, this meeting could not provide a forum for exhaustive presentation of all plasma physics and engineering progress; consequently, only limited discussion of these problems took place.
A summary of the latest experimental achievements on the route to developing an attractive commercial tokamak fusion reactor, based on the results of Dill-D, was reported by Simonen and the DIII-D Team. Several promising venues of tokamak improvements were indicated: stability, confinement, divertor power and particle control, steady state r.f. current drive, etc. Continuous progress has also taken place in achieving some of these goals simultaneously. Advanced tokamak regimes with improved confinement and improved Elsevier Science S.A.