Current Schedule

Speaker = Dr. Yuhu Zhai of Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

Host = Ting Xu xuti@frib.msu.edu

When = 2025-10-08 Wednesday

Where = FRIB 1300

Please feel free to sign up below, but note that some slots may need to be re-assigned to accommodate those with a specific need to meet the speaker. If this happens, the Admin or Speaker Host will reach out to you via email.

Title = Innovation in superconducting magnet technologies: R&D Gaps and opportunities to mature HTS for fusion and other applications

Abstract

Significant technology maturation efforts are underway by privately funded fusion startups with the goal to demonstrate mature high temperature superconductors (HTS) and HTS magnet technology. The US route to commercial fusion has a strong focus on technology innovation. Recent fusion community workshops highlighted R&D gaps and critical issues to mature HTS for fusion. Synergistic and complementary opportunities in high energy physics (HEP), high field superconducting magnets, condensed matter physics and cosmic frontier dark matter search are also open for a broad range of science drivers. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) is helping to lead the development of a long-term fusion vision and strategy for advancing US fusion burning plasma research. I will discuss the challenges and R&D needs for enabling HTS for high field magnetic fusion. Research in my group is focused on exploring innovation opportunities in next-step studies of fusion pilot plants (FPP) using HTS based on Spherical Tokamak and compact stellarator configurations. An innovative magnet design is needed to close the gap between advances in HTS and fusion energy extraction from ITER-like burning plasma development.

Relevant background with commentary from Speaker

• Fusion nuclear science facilities and pilot plants based on the spherical tokamak in Nuclear Fusion (2016)
• Compact steady-state tokamak performance dependence on magnet and core physics limits in Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A (2019)