The Institute for Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion (IPFN) participates in three projects selected by the EUROfusion General Assembly, within the scope of the Enabling Research programme. The projects “Advances in real-time reflectometry plasma tracking for next generation machines: Application to DEMO”, coordinated by the IPFN researcher Filipe da Silva, and “Energetic particle optimization of stellarator devices using near-axis magnetic fields”, coordinated by the IPFN  researcher Rogério Jorge, are among the 16 winning projects. IPFN also participates in another winning project: “Advancing shock ignition for direct-drive inertial fusion”, which is coordinated by the University of Bordeaux (France). These grants will allow to develop new ideas and innovative techniques related to nuclear fusion.

The project “Advances in real-time reflectometry plasma tracking for next generation machines: Application to DEMO” brings together the main experts and developers of reflectometry systems in Europe, covering the areas of microwave hardware, synthetic reflectometry diagnostics, signal processing techniques and simulation codes. Reflectometry will play a major role in next-generation machines, in particular in DEMO, playing a major role in plasma positioning, shaping and tracking, being able to substitute magnetic diagnostics. Reflectometry will play a prominent role in the next nuclear fusion machines, namely in DEMO, with the main function of plasma positioning and monitoring, replacing magnetic diagnostics.

“The first steps to achieve this goal have already been taken experimentally, theoretically and with simulations. However, a great amount of groundwork remains to be done and this project aims to tackle many of the still remaining open questions and come out with a coherent and unified approach, allowing to implement a reflectometry system able to provide control inputs not only in steady-state operation, but also during the initial stage of the discharge“, explains Filipe da Silva.

The IPFN researcher shares “the team is extremely pleased with this project because it will allow us to join efforts towards an important goal that otherwise would take us longer”, he says.

The team brings together four more IPFN researchers – Jorge Santos, António Silva, Jorge Ferreira and Emanuel Ricardo – and also scientists from the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), University of Lorraine, United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) and the RFX Consortium.

The roles played by IPFN scientists in this project are varied: “Besides coordinating the project, I will work in the implementation and simulation of reflectometry diagnostics, with the direct collaboration of Emanuel Ricardo”, stresses Filipe Silva. “Jorge Ferreira will work in physics and modeling, Jorge Santos will work in data analysis and António Silva is an expert in microwave electronics. It should be noted that all these domains require strong interaction, not only between the Técnico colleagues, but also between all participants in the project ”, adds the project coordinator.

The project “Energetic particle optimization of stellarator devices using near-axis magnetic fields” focuses on controlled nuclear fusion. “With fusion, we intend to obtain clean and renewable energy that can complement other energy sources such as solar and wind. This project will allow us to move in that direction by exploring an innovative technique for calculating magnetic fields in fusion reactors in the presence of a plasma”, says the researcher Rogério Jorge.

This project has two aspects, the first is the optimization of the near-axis expansion. “The mathematical optimization techniques use computational tools that are being developed at several American universities, such as Princeton University, the University of Maryland and the New York University”, highlights the project coordinator. The second aspect is the calculation of the particles trajectory in plasma. “In this sense, several IPFN researchers who are now part of the group responsible for the project, have been developing computer programmes that allow to calculate the trajectory of millions of particles simultaneously using modern supercomputers in order to determine how long they remain confined inside the reactor”, explains Rogério Jorge. “These two techniques will allow us to work on an optimized reactor design, capable of confining the particles as long as possible, and thus generate energy”, adds Rogério Jorge.

Although each technique has been developed individually by several research groups all over the world, this is the first time that these techniques have been brought together in a single project. “We believe that we can be pioneers in the design and construction of the next generation of controlled nuclear fusion reactors”, highlights the project coordinator. The project has a durantion of 2 years and 93.5 thousand euros of funding.

“The whole team is very proud”, says the researcher Rogério Jorge. “The Enabling Research grants selection process is very competitive”, he adds. “This is the first time that Portugal has been awarded this distinction and, furthermore, with 2 grants. On a personal level, I am very happy to return to Técnico in the near future after several years of doctoral and postdoctoral studies abroad”, says the researcher.

Finally, IPFN participates in the project “Advancing shock ignition for direct-drive inertial fusion”, led by the University of Bordeaux (France) with professor Marta Fajardo (IST professor at the Department of Physics – DF) as the local team leader. The project aims to study one alternative to energy production with nuclear fusion, by direct compression of fuel pellets using high power lasers. “Attempts to carry out the so-called Inertial Confinement Fusion have failed so far, as it is very difficult to create an explosion in a fuel sphere and compress it at the same time. The plasma develops different types of instabilities to counter this compression. Until now, lasers were not stable enough to directly produce homogeneous compression, preventing the achievement of stable fusion conditions”, stresses the Técnico professor.

“The advancements in laser technology allow to better control the direct irradiation of the sphere and even launch continuous-wave lasers, sending shock waves that will create a balance between the forces of expansion and implosion of the fuel sphere”, explains professor Marta Fajardo.

The project involves 28 European institutions and four partner laboratories in the USA and Japan. IPFN researchers will develop advanced imaging diagnostics, optimizing XUV measurements (wavefront sensor for extreme ultraviolet spectral range) to study the initial phase of solid-to-plasma transition.