The Zap Energy approach to commercial fusion

Zap Energy is a private fusion energy company developing the sheared-flow-stabilized (SFS) Z-pinch concept for commercial energy production. Spun out from the University of Washington, these experimental and computational efforts have resulted in devices with quasi-steady DD fusion yields above 109...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physics of plasmas 2023-09, Vol.30 (9)
Main Authors: Levitt, B., Meier, E. T., Umstattd, R., Barhydt, J. R., Datta, I. A. M., Liekhus-Schmaltz, C., Sutherland, D. A., Nelson, B. A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
Confinement
Nuclear power plants
Physics
Plasma physics
Zeta pinch
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Summary:Zap Energy is a private fusion energy company developing the sheared-flow-stabilized (SFS) Z-pinch concept for commercial energy production. Spun out from the University of Washington, these experimental and computational efforts have resulted in devices with quasi-steady DD fusion yields above 109 per pulse. These devices support scaling toward energy breakeven on existing devices as well as beyond to commercially relevant engineering fusion gains. This article discusses the strategy behind Zap's development path, which is derived directly from the engineering and scientific elegance of the confinement method. Without need for external confinement or heating technologies, the SFS Z pinch relies on plasma self-organization. This compact magnetic confinement technology could, in turn, provide the basis for a cost-effective fusion power plant, vastly reduced in complexity from its competitors.
ISSN:1070-664X
1089-7674
DOI:10.1063/5.0163361