The technological research and development activities carried out to validate the International Thermonuclear Reactor (ITER) and demonstrate reactor feasibility cover a wide range of multidisciplinary areas. The work requires considerable extrapolation with respect to the state of the art as well as a lot of systematic integration.
The most important and strategic areas are:
high heat-flux components (vacuum&surface technologies, plasma-wall interaction),
advanced materials,
neutronics,
remote maintenance (mechanical apparatus),
fuel cycle (membrane reactor),
design methods (nuclear and thermo-mechanic),
electromagnetics,
analyses on the safety and environmental impact of fusion (fundamental to demonstrating the advantages of fusion to the public).
The fusion technologies developed at the Frascati laboratory and in collaboration with other ENEA laboratories cover all the areas mentioned above. Since the mid-1980s ENEA has provided significant contributions to the European Fusion Programme and has successfully promoted the involvement and collaboration of Italian industries.
Labs and Plants
To carry out above activities, ENEA Frascati center hosts extremely advanced instrumentations and plant equipment:
Frascati Neutron Generator (FNG);
Remote Handling laboratory;
Vacuum & Surfaces laboratory;
Mechanical Technologies laboratory;
Metrology and Quick Prototyping laboratory;
Hidrogen laboratory;
Membranes laboratory;
Liquefier plant.
ENEA "know-how" in the specific technologies for thermonuclear fusion, is exploited in various industrial activities and applications. Advanced technological services are also provided to other national and international laboratories.
Responsible: Antonio della Corte e-mail:
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tel.: +39 06 9400 5720
Antonio della Corte