ABSTRACT: A stable supply of electricity is one of the most important issues for sustainable development. Whereas fission-based nuclear power has played important roles in many countries, the rapid increase in nuclear power plants worldwide implies that procuring their resources would be more competitive in the future. In contrast, fusion-based nuclear power has such a very attractive feature that its resource is realistically infinite. Studies for realizing fusion-based nuclear power have a long history; there are still many challenges for the realization. An experimental reactor that does not generate electricity is being constructed in EU within the framework of an international collaboration project; the present schedule expects the first-generation commercial reactor, whose output is several hundred megawatts, becomes available around the middle of this century. Nuclear fusion reactors have many unique components, which implies that new non-destructive techniques are necessary for the safe operation of the reactors. However, the number of studies about non-destructive techniques for fusion reactors is very limited. In this presentation, we will introduce some of our studies on the development of non-destructive testing techniques for assuring the integrity of important components in fusion reactors.
 

nuclear fusion, power source, non-destructive inspection, eddy current testing, ultrasonic testing