Research Needs for Magnetic Fusion Energy Sciences - US Burning ...

integrated Modeling
improved integrated models that utilize advanced computational simulation techniques to treat
geometric complexity, and integrate multi-scale and multi-physics effects, will be key tools for interpreting
phenomena from multiple scientific disciplines and fusion experiments while providing
a measure of standardization in simulation. The vision of such an effort is to provide higher
predictive accuracy and substantially reduce the risks and costs in the development of fusion nuclear
systems. These models would be able to predict the integrated behavior of tritium fuel cycle
processes as well as of fusion power components in the fusion environment. as an example, the
attractiveness of the dual-coolant lead-lithium breeding blanket depends on its ability to capture
a large portion of the nuclear energy in the lead-lithium stream and transport it at high temperature
with low pumping power to the power conversion system. The degree to which this is achievable
depends on the fluid flow phenomena in the lead-lithium, which are highly coupled to the interactions
with the magnetic fields, material properties of the flow channel insert, geometry of
the design, deposition of the nuclear energy, etc. integrated predictive capabilities can be instrumental
in: evaluating design options, providing information for which diagnostic sensors are limited
and experimental access is difficult; developing knowledge to focus and minimize required
experiments; and interpreting the information gained.
simulations will progressively allow for design optimization, performance evaluation, failure
mitigation, and operational control of iteR and FnsF components in the near term and demo
in the future. initially, simulation development will focus on the component level modeling; subsequently,
component level analyses will be integrated with system level modeling for global performance
and safety analyses. The development of the integrated models will be pursued with the
mindset of providing a link to the Fusion simulation Project (FsP). Ultimately, the vision is development
of a predictive capability for demo, after strong benchmarking by experimental data
obtained from the “real fusion environment” on iteR and FnsF.
integrated model development will be built upon four fundamental undertakings.
1. Integration and assimilation. The first activity will be the integration and assimilation of
state-of-the-art analysis codes from the various fusion disciplines involved including neutronics,
electromagnetism, plasma-material interaction, thermo-fluids, species transport, structural mechanics,
and off-normal transient phenomena. There exist analyses codes that cater to these individual
physics, but they have to be enhanced and tuned for application in the fusion plasma chamber
environment. examples include enhancement of liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic (mhd)
codes and of plasma facing material behavior under transient energy depositions.
2. Mapping across various analysis codes. The second endeavor includes advances in data
translation, involving efficient and high-fidelity data mapping across various analysis codes, enabling
integrated or coupled simulations in a multi-physics environment. numerical modeling of
individual physics has its own unique mesh resolution requirements, and in most realistic calculations,
the computational meshes used for different physical analyses differ in nature. The integrated
suite must exchange data in a seamless and error-free manner and be compatible with
modern clusters and parallel execution. The modeling of accident scenarios in the fusion reactor
is a typical example requiring synchronized simulation of the effects of an individual component
with the entire system.
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