Methods, systems, and apparatus include using an alkali metal as working fluid of a diffusion pump to remove hydrogen and/or helium from a reaction chamber of a nuclear fusion reactor. One example system includes a nuclear fusion reactor, a diffusion pump with a working fluid comprising an alkali metal, the diffusion pump being arranged to remove hydrogen and/or helium from the nuclear fusion reactor during operation of the system.

In an improved inertial confinement fusion (ICF) system for converting x-ray energy, x-ray radiation from the detonation of an ICF target is directed towards a region containing an inert gas in which the x-ray radiation is absorbed and converted into thermal energy of the atoms of the gas or external coolant fluids. The gas is cooled to a desired temperature by using relatively large amounts of such gas and by absorption of secondary radiation by metal cylinders and heat exchangers. The gas then flows into a series of blowdown turbines to extract energy and is subsequently recycled back into the x-ray region. The electrical power output can be smoothed in time using flywheels. This is done in such a way as to avoid x-ray damage to the containing walls of the x-ray region and to avoid contamination of the target region that would interfere with laser irradiation of the target.

A laser fusion reactor assembly comprises magnet coils to produce magnetic field cusps at opposing ends of the reactor. The magnetic field cusps guide energetic ions to ion beam dumps of increased surface area to capture and remove ion-generated heat from the fusion reaction and reactor assembly.

Articles of manufacture, machines, processes for using the articles and machines, processes for making the articles and machines, and products produced by the process of making, along with necessary intermediates, directed to the transport of ion beams.

Examples of advanced fuel cycles for fusion reactors are described. Examples include fuel cycles for use in field reverse configuration (FRC) plasma reactors. In some examples, reaction gases may be removed from a fusion reactor between pulses (e.g. plasmoid collisions). In some examples, a D-.sup.3He reaction is performed, with the .sup.3He provided from decay of byproducts of previous reactions (e.g. tritium).

An apparatus and method for integrated tritium extraction and recovery in a fusion power system includes combining-in a tritium extraction unit-a fluid tritium breeding composition with a second fluid to generate a combined fluid undergoing two phase flow, and extracting tritium from the breeding composition in the two-phase flow by simultaneous processes of permeation across a solid membrane and tritium transfer onto the second fluid (i.e., gas-liquid or liquid-liquid contacting).