Culham Centre for Fusion Energy
Encyclopedia
The Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE), located at the Culham Science Centre, near Culham
, Oxfordshire, is the site of the Joint European Torus
(JET), Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak
(MAST) and the now closed Small Tight Aspect Ratio Tokamak
(START).
Since September 2008 the director has been Professor Steven Cowley, and the centre has been engaged in work towards the final detailed design of ITER
as well as preparatory work in support of DEMO
.
(UKAEA) in 1960. The UKAEA continues to operate the site and is the major tenant.
As well as CCFE, the centre houses the headquarters of the UKAEA, and hosts many commercial and other organisations.
Culham
Culham is a village and civil parish on the north bank of the River Thames, just over south of Abingdon in Oxfordshire.-Manor:The toponym comes from the Old English Cula's hamm, referring to the village's position in a bend of the Thames...
, Oxfordshire, is the site of the Joint European Torus
Joint European Torus
JET, the Joint European Torus, is the largest magnetic confinement plasma physics experiment worldwide currently in operation. Its main purpose is to open the way to future nuclear fusion experimental tokamak reactors such as ITER and :DEMO....
(JET), Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak
Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak
The Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak, or MAST experiment is a nuclear fusion experiment in operation at Culham, Oxfordshire, England since December 1999. It follows the highly successful START experiment...
(MAST) and the now closed Small Tight Aspect Ratio Tokamak
Small Tight Aspect Ratio Tokamak
The Small Tight Aspect Ratio Tokamak, or START was a nuclear fusion experiment that used magnetic confinement to hold plasma. The experiment began at the Culham Science Centre in the United Kingdom in 1991 and was retired in 1998. It was built as a low cost design, largely using parts already...
(START).
Since September 2008 the director has been Professor Steven Cowley, and the centre has been engaged in work towards the final detailed design of ITER
ITER
ITER is an international nuclear fusion research and engineering project, which is currently building the world's largest and most advanced experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor at Cadarache in the south of France...
as well as preparatory work in support of DEMO
DEMO
DEMO is a proposed nuclear fusion power plant that is intended to build upon the expected success of the ITER experimental nuclear fusion reactor. Whereas ITER's goal is to produce 500 megawatts of fusion power for at least 500 seconds, the goal of DEMO will be to produce at least four times that...
.
Culham Science Centre
The centre occupies the site of the former Royal Navy airfield RNAS Culham (HMS Hornbill), which was transferred to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy AuthorityUnited Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority is a UK government research organisation responsible for the development of nuclear fusion power. It is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and was formerly chaired by Lady Barbara Judge CBE...
(UKAEA) in 1960. The UKAEA continues to operate the site and is the major tenant.
As well as CCFE, the centre houses the headquarters of the UKAEA, and hosts many commercial and other organisations.
External links
- http://www.ccfe.ac.uk/ CCFE website
- http://www.culham.org.uk/ Culham Science Centre website