Evaluation of Technology Readiness for Physics-Oriented Issues

Alan Turnbull March 2009 General Atomics Inc. and The ARIES Group The present White Paper is the second of three concerning the issue of plasma control, which is taken here to include control of the power flow in addition to the main plasma parameters and profiles. The first paper, “Control of the Plasma and the Power Flow in a Reactor”, identifies the individual issues that need to be addressed. This second paper addresses the need for quantitative measures of the status of the issues, and the prospects for the presently available techniques to be useable in ITER and a demonstration fusion reactor. It describes these needs in general terms, considering the Technology Readiness Levels, (TRLs) as described in the Theme III White Paper, “Evaluating gaps in fusion energy research using Technology Readiness Levels”, as an example. It then considers some of the general lessons that were learned in constructing the TRL Tables but that have an importance beyond the specific nature of TRLs. These are general issues that arise in identifying and quantifying the steps needed for maturing any control related technology for a specific application. The third paper, “Technology Readiness For Control of the Plasma and Power Flow in a Reactor”, develops specific TRL tables and values for each of the control issues identified in the first White Paper. This is intended as an example to show how the TRL process can be applied to more physics oriented issues. The three companion White Papers are designated as WPI, WPII, and WPIII.