Needed computations and computational capabilities for stellarators

• Published in: Physics of plasmas Vol. 31; no. 6
• Main Author: Boozer, Allen H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melville American Institute of Physics 01.06.2024; American Institute of Physics (AIP)
• Subjects: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; deuterium; di vertors; fusion energy; optimization for fusion; plasma confinement; plasma properties and parameters; Power plants; Stellarators; stellarators, fusion energy, optimization for fusion, divertors; tokamaks; tritium
• ISSN: 1070-664X; 1089-7674
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0211063

Stellarator plasmas are externally controlled to a degree unparalleled by any other fusion concept, magnetic or inertial. This control is largely through the magnetic fields produced by external coils. The development of fusion energy could be expedited by carrying out remarkably straight-forward computations to define strategies for exploiting this external control. In addition to these computations, which have a reliability limited only by competence, certain physics areas that affect the development of stellarator power plants should have a more intense study. The low cost and speed with which computations can be carried out relative to experiments have implications for the development of fusion. Computations should be used to develop a strategy that to the extent possible allows major issues to be circumvented. Required computations for this strategy are the subject of this paper.