A Tandem Mirror Reactor with Thermal-Barrier End Cells: Axial Confinement and Net Power Accounting

This paper presents a complete, computed design study of a fusion power plant based on a tandem mirror: a linear central cell plugged at both ends by higher-field mirror cells with electrostatic thermal barriers. The fuel is deuterium tritium, releasing 17.6 MeV per reaction, of which 14.1 MeV leaves with the neutron and 3.5 MeV stays with the alpha particle. Heating is by neutral-beam injection into the end cells with electron cyclotron heating to maintain the thermal barrier, and the blanket concept is liquid lithium waterfall blanket in the central cell with a solid end-cell shield. Sizing follows from a zero-dimensional energy balance evaluated in the accompanying computation: fusion power 178.5 MW, auxiliary heating 90 MW, plasma gain Q 1.983, neutron power 143 MW, first-wall neutron loading 0.5366 MW per square metre, gross electric output 118.8 MW, recirculating power 164.3 MW and net electric output -45.46 MW. Radiated bremsstrahlung removes 1.764 MW and transport removes 93.37 MW, against alpha-particle self-heating of 35.5 MW. The plant verdict on the stated assumptions is net negative. Where a quantity depends on an assumption that experiments have not yet demonstrated at the required value, that dependence is stated numerically so that the design can be re-scored as measurements improve. This study is simulated and computed from stated assumptions; it is not a measurement, and no part of the plant has been built. SIMULATED, NOT MEASURED.