Colliding Beam Fusion

Fusion Computing

Written by Tim Lash, Focus Fusion Society Contributor. A recent post highlighted the importance of computer based simulation to fusion science. We now have two more reports demonstrating the important role computer science plays in fusion research. The first is a story from the venerable Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). PPPL in collaboration with General Atomics (GA) have joined forces to bring PPPL’s premier transport code, TRANSP, to beginning users and experts alike. Another story illustrates that fusion researchers are in constant need of greater computing resources. Private research lab Tri Alpha Energy (TAE) thinks it will need exascale supercomputers to help design its next reactor. PPPL’s TRANSP code helps researchers understand plasma transport analysis: the study of how plasma […]

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Optimizing Plasma

Written by Tim Lash, Focus Fusion Society Contributor. Lawrenceville Plasma Physics fusion research has aneutronic hydrogen-boron fueled fusion as its energy production goal. Another fusion project that proposes to use hydrogen-boron fuel takes a clever approach to finding a hot plasma regime. Tri Alpha Energy (TAE) is building a colliding beam fusion reactor. A recent article published in the journal Science Reports outlines a high tech approach to optimize the operating characteristics of their device. By its very nature producing energy via fusion is complex. The science can be daunting, and the machines that attempt to achieve fusion incredibly intricate. These machines generally have a multitude of operating parameters that need to be tuned and calibrated. Response to input parameters […]

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