PPPL Colloquium: The CHIMERA Fusion Technology Facility

Date
Nov 30, 2022, 4:00 pm5:15 pm
Location
MBG Auditorium (staff only) and Online
Audience
General Public (virtual)

Speaker

Details

Event Description

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

4:00pm-5:15pm EDT - PLEASE NOTE THIS SPEAKER WILL PRESENT VIRTUALLY, STAFF MAY WATCH THE TALK IN THE PPPL AUDITORIUM OR VIA ZOOM

Hosted by Andrei Khodak

Dr. Tom Barrett
UKAEA, CHIMERA Research Facility Technical Lead

The CHIMERA Fusion Technology Facility

The extreme challenge of realising power production from fusion will require not only fusion reaction demonstrators but also considerable and increasing investment in facilities for testing and developing fusion reactor engineering and technology. Particularly important are the components destined for the harsh reactor core environment. The CHIMERA facility is currently under construction at the UKAEA site in South Yorkshire, and will enable testing of large in-vessel component modules under reactor-like conditions of combined in-vacuo thermal power density and magnetic field. The major challenges addressed include electromagnetic loads, high heat flux, and proving complex and high-risk component manufacturing. The ability to test technology in magnetic fields will be unparalleled and could prove vital for breeding blanket designs featuring a ferromagnetic structural material or a liquid metal breeder. Developments in technologies have been required as part of CHIMERA construction. A bespoke infrared heating system has been developed, capable of applying 0.5 MW/m2 to metre-scale component surfaces. CHIMERA will also feature a range of diagnostics, including load cells to measure static and pulsed magnetic forces, and induced current sensors, all of which have required prior development activities. Testing will be enhanced with simulation ‘digital twin’ capability; the first results are presented which relate to commissioning of the CHIMERA device. The digital twin will combine multi-physics simulations updated with experimental data employing stochastic capabilities. This talk introduces the CHIMERA device, describes the status of construction and development programmes, and gives insight to how ‘virtual testing’ will be used to enhance the development of fusion technology.

Sponsor
Andrei Khodak