3 ms·

MIT us using 8MW/m^3 for DT. Apparently pretty basic physics and it applies over a wide temperature range. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY6U4wB-oYM&t=335 h

• pfdietz 7y ago
  I believe that is using the volume of the plasma, not of the reactor. If you wish to go there, the power density of a PWR core is 100 MW/m^3.
  • baking 7y ago
    Yes. The only number I could find for a Uranium PWR core was 69MW/m^3. Lidsky said in 1983 that "the power density is only one-tenth as large" (fusion vs. fission) so I assume this is what he was talking about. I only wanted to compare apples to apples. Obviously, additional equipment surrounding the core or plasma adds to the volume, but the major portion of the construction cost is the steam equipment and power generators which is the same cost and volume per MW for either technology (or for fossil fuel power plants for that matter.)
    • pfdietz 7y ago
      The major part of the cost of a fission plant is the non-nuclear part, but I don't think that would be true of a fusion plant. In any case, if some parts are common, but the non-common parts are cheaper in a fission plant, fusion will be more expensive than fission -- and since fission has already lost in the market due to its cost, fusion would do likewise.