Lawson Criteria for Nuclear Fusion

28/03/16, 9:04 PM

Conditions for Fusion

In addition to providing a sufficiently high temperature to enable the
particles to overcome the Coulomb barrier, that temperature must be
maintained for a sufficient confinement time and with a sufficient ion density
Index
in order to obtain a net yield of energy from a fusion reaction. The overall
conditions which must be met for a yield of more energy than is required for Fusion
the heating of the plasma are usually stated in terms of the product of ion
concepts
density and confinement time, a condition called Lawson's criterion.
deuterium-tritium fusion
deuterium-deuterium fusion

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Confinement Time for Fusion

Confinement time in nuclear fusion devices is defined as the time the plasma
is maintained at a temperature above the critical ignition temperature. To
yield more energy from the fusion than has been invested to heat the plasma,
the plasma must be held up to this temperature for some minimum length of
time. Calculations of that minimum time are
deuterium-tritium fusion

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Fusion
concepts

deuterium-deuterium fusion
where n is the ion density in the plasma. The product of the ion density and
confinement time required for fusion is called Lawson's criterion.
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Lawson Criteria for Nuclear Fusion

28/03/16, 9:04 PM

Ion Density for Fusion

Even given a high enough temperature to overcome the coulomb barrier to
nuclear fusion, a critical density of ions must be maintained to make the
probability of collison high enough to achieve a net yield of energy from the
reaction. The density required for a net energy yield is correlated with the
confinement time for the hot plasma, so the minimum condition for a
productive fusion reaction is typically stated in terms of the product of the
ion density and confinement time, called Lawson's criterion. The calculated
values are

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Fusion
concepts

deuterium-tritium fusion
deuterium-deuterium fusion
Discussion of Coulomb barrier Why is this temperature too high?
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Lawson's Criterion for Fusion

Once a critical ignition temperature for nuclear fusion has been achieved, it
must be maintained at that temperature for a long enough confinement time
at a high enough ion density to obtain a net yield of energy. In 1957, J. D.
Lawson showed that the product of ion density and confinement time
determined the minimum conditions for productive fusion, and that product
is commonly called Lawson's criterion. Commonly quoted figures for this
criterion are

Index
Fusion
concepts

deuterium-tritium fusion
deuterium-deuterium fusion
The closest approach to Lawson's criterion has been at the Tokamak Fusion
Test Reactor (TFTR) at Princeton. It has reached ignition temperature and
gotten very close to Lawson's criterion, although not at the same time.
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Lawson Criteria for Nuclear Fusion

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