Nuclear fusion has the potential of becoming a practically inexhaustible and almost clean energy source. The world’s efforts, in which Italy and Europe play a major role, focus on the confinement of a burning D-T plasma in devices based on superconducting magnets: the multi-billion ITER project, under construction at Cadarache in France, a few hundred kilometres from Torino, is scheduled to start operating in the late 20’s, while the EU is strongly pursuing the next step, i.e. a DEMO program, aiming at providing the first kWh from fusion.

This course gives an introduction to both the physics and the engineering of a nuclear fusion reactor of tokamak type. Some emphasis is put on the modelling aspects, at both the component and system level.

The course, mandatory for nuclear engineering students, could also be of interest for students who simply desire to get a somewhat more precise idea of the enormous potential of the fusion energy source.

The student should acquire a basic knowledge of the physics of magnetically confined plasmas in a tokamak-type fusion reactor, as well as of the structure and functions of the main reactor components and of their integration in a consistent design.

The student should also acquire a critical perception of the main open issues and related perspectives of research and development in the nuclear fusion field.

The essential pre-requisite of the course is a good knowledge of the topics presented in the first two years of any Engineering BSc program. An introduction to nuclear engineering (like that provided, e.g., in the course "Fondamenti di ingegneria nucleare") could be helpful but is not mandatory.

General introduction
- The European roadmap on fusion electricity

Physics
- Introduction and overview of the course
- Confinement and transport (non-collisional theory)
- Confinement and transport (collisional theory)
- Edge plasma physics and plasma-wall interactions

Engineering
- Plasma engineering
- Engineering of power exhaust (divertor, first wall)
- Plasma heating (Ohmic, alpha, NBI, RF)
- The blanket
- Vacuum vessel and vacuum technology
- Superconducting magnet system and cryogenics
- The fuel cycle in a fusion reactor
- The problem of materials in a fusion reactor
- Fusion reactor safety concepts

Physics
This part of the course will consists of theoretical lectures and of the practical solution of simple numerical problems. The latter class will be held approximately once per week.

Engineering
This part of the course mainly consists of theoretical lectures.

On two specific topics (plasma-wall interactions and superconducting magnets), reference computer codes will be presented and demonstrated.

Physics
Reference textbooks
• J.P. Freidberg, Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy, Cambridge University Press, 2007
• Peter C. Stangeby, The Plasma Boundary of Magnetic Fusion Devices, Institute of Physics Publishing, 2000

Auxiliary books
• C. Wendell Horton, Jr. and S. Benkadda, ITER Physics, World Scientific, 2015

Engineering
A few good references are available, see e.g.
• Thomas J. Dolan (Editor), "Magnetic Fusion Technology (Lecture Notes in Energy)", Springer; 2013 edition (February 10, 2014), ISBN 978-1447155553
• Weston M. Stacey, "Fusion: An Introduction to the Physics and Technology of Magnetic Confinement Fusion" 2nd Edition, Wiley-VCH (March 22, 2010), ISBN 978-3527409679
However, no single textbook really covers the scope of topics to the needed depth for this course. We shall therefore often rely on presentations from summer schools (e.g. the KIT International School on Fusion Technologies http://summerschool.fusion.kit.edu/ ) and on presentations given at international conferences or on papers published on international journals like Fusion Engineering and Design, Fusion Science and Technology, etc.

The exams for the two parts are separate. The final score will be the average of the two.

Physics
The final exam is in two parts, the first (mandatory) is written, the second is an oral discussion.
The written test involves a number of numerical problems and theoretical questions. It aims at verifying that the student can (i) complete successfully some simple calculations, and (ii) can critically discuss the simplest phenomena occurring in a fusion reactor. The maximum score which can be obtained from the written test is 27/30.
Students who obtained a score equal or higher than 26/30 in the written test may ask to also have an oral discussion, during which the level of comprehension of the physical processes discussed during the main lectures will be verified in depth.

Engineering
Written exam. After that, students with > 27/30 in the written exam, or < 21/30 but still > = 18/30, will come to the oral‎.