The ARC R&D Roadmap

The most recent developments in the R&D roadmap for an ARC-class fusion power plant are presented in this talk. The original conceptual design for the ARC fusion power plant, a compact, high-field tokamak built using HTS magnets, was presented over two works in Fusion Engineering and Design in 2015 and 2018. Since then, there has been significant advancement in both the physics and technology underlying compact, high-field tokamaks, such as SPARC, as evidenced by the published design basis and hardware demonstrations by CFS, MIT, and collaborators. While SPARC will be risk-retiring many subsystems transferrable to ARC - HTS magnet technology, for example - there are some ARC subsystems which will be risk-retired in parallel to SPARC. Notably, these include the FLiBe molten salt blanket, FLiBe tritium extraction systems, FLiBe-compatible balance-of-plant components, and remote maintenance technology. There are also programs to qualify suitable candidates for fusion power plant structural and functional materials (for both lifetime components and replaceable components like the low activation vacuum vessel) and to demonstrate advanced manufacturing techniques required to optimize performance, cost, and lead times for components. This R&D will be carried out in collaboration with MIT and other research institutions. Performing these R&D efforts in parallel to the construction and operation of SPARC will enable the fastest path to the development, construction, and operation of the first ARC power plant.