Thermonuclear power plants

Abstract

Some of the unique features of thermonuclear power plants and the essential problems in the technical design of such plants are discussed in this paper. The thermonuclear reaction rate for the fusion of deuterium is calculated on the basis of a similar analysis published by Gamow and Teller. The pressure, temperature, and minimum dimensions of the necessary reaction chamber are determined largely by consideration of reaction quenching and energy loss near the walls. Results are presented for the power output and the efficiency of a power station utilizing the deuterium fusion reaction. The comment by Greenstein that follows this paper deals particularly with the difficult problem of calculating the reaction quenching and energy loss rates at the walls.