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power reactors, Even so, the plasma core reactor must certainly be designated as one of the most advanced concepts in view of its position in the evolution from solid to liquid to plasma fuel reactors. It is more important however, to recognize that the concept is advanced because of the magnitude of the complex physical phenomena which must be understood and the many technological problems associated with the high temperature, high pressure plasma experiments which must be performed, before such a system is built and operated.

        A common characteristic of the solid, liquid and plasma core reactors is the energy production mechanism. In each case, energy is released when the fuel nuclei undergo neutron induced fission. After this initial energy production, the plasma reactor concept differs greatly from either the solid or liquid core reactor. In the solid and liquid core reactors, the energy from fission heats some working fluid or coolant by conductive and convective heat transfer. In the plasma core reactor, the fuel plasma is heated by collisional energy transfer from the fission fragments. The coolant plasma is then heated by radiant energy transfer from the uranium plasma. Radiant energy transfer is the characteristic which most clearly distinguishes a plasma core reactor from a solid or liquid core reactor. Since radiation has not been