On TAE’s Path to Fusion A Private-Sector Perspective

Michl Binderbauer | President & CTO | TAE Technologies

Committee on aCOMMITTE Strategic ON Plan A STRATEGIC for US Burning PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING Research, PLASMA General RESEARCH Atomic, | FEBRUARY Feb 26-28, 2018 2018 1 Agenda

• Concept, Motivation and History

• Key Past Program Accomplishments

• Current Status and Next Steps

• Overall Perspective Forward – Public-Private Partnership

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 2 TAE Concept Advanced beam driven FRC • High plasma β~1 • compact and high power density • aneutronic fuel capability • indigenous kinetic particles • Tangential high-energy beam injection • large orbit population decouples from micro-turbulence • improved stability and transport • Simple geometry • only diagmagnetic currents • easier design and maintenance • Linear unrestricted divertor • facilitates impurity, ash and power removal

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 3 Goals, Issues and Initiatives for FRC Research FESAC TAP report (2008) & ReNeW (2009)

Long-range mission • Develop compact (high-β) reactor without toroidal field coils or a central solenoid ITER era goal • Achieve stable, long-pulse keV plasmas with favorable confinement scaling Key issues

• Is global stability possible at large s (a/ρi ≥ 30) with low collisionality? • What governs energy transport and can it be reduced at high temperature? • Is energy-efficient sustainment possible at large-s and with good confinement? • Theory and simulation challenges (high-β, kinetic effects, transport) Suggested possible initiatives • Build larger facility with rotating magnetic fields or neutral beam injection (NBI) • Develop comprehensive diagnostics suite (profiles, fluctuations, …)

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 4 TAE’s Goals to Now

Test for failure early and at lower cost while reducing most critical risks Establish beam driven high-β FRC physics test beds to • provide fast learning cycles and large experimental dataset (close to 60,000 shots) • demonstrate sustainment via Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) for >5 ms discharges (longer than critical timescales) with high repeatability • study tangential NBI and fast particle effects on stability and transport • measure scaling and study fluctuations and transport • assess potential for current drive, power balance and its implications Provide opportunity to • tightly integrate theory/modeling with experimentation • develop engineering knowhow and integration Invite collaboration to accelerate progress • Budker Institute, PPPL, UCI, UCLA, LLNL, Univ. of Pisa, Univ. of Wisconsin, Nihon Univ., Univ. of Washington, , Industrial partners

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 5 Past TAE Program Evolution

A & B – Basic FRC core C-2 – HPF* w/ 2 guns, Ti getter C-2U – Sustainment 5+ ms n 100-800 G, 5-10 eV n 1 kG, 1 keV n 1 kG, 1 keV

n ion beams, Wb ~0.1 kJ n neutral beams, Wb ~12 kJ n neutral beams, Wb ~100 kJ

* HPF – High Performance FRC regime

C-1 – Enhanced lifetime C-2 – HPF* w/ 2 guns, Li getter n 400 G, 10 eV n 1 kG, 1 keV

n ion beams, Wb ~1 kJ n neutral beams, Wb ~20 kJ

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 6 Key Past Program Accomplishments

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 7 Global Stability Control via Edge Biasing

• Active and passive bias electrodes “communicate” with FRC separatrix via scrape-off layer

• Generate inward Er to counter FRC spin-up, and stabilize rotational modes (e.g. n=2) in axisymmetric way • Line-tying between FRC and plasma gun stabilizes wobble (provided that sheath resistance Bias: On/Off Plasma Gun: On/Off is low)

Binderbauer, et. al, Phys. Plasmas 22, 056110 (2015)

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 8 Advanced Beam Driven FRC Enabled by Fast

5 • Fast ion confinement near classical limit 4 !i ~ (1-2) !icl 3

2 • Total pressure is maintained, while thermal .1 e

1 pressure is replaced by fast ion pressure, up to Measured lifetime [ms] Pfast/Pth ~ 1 0 mb20141119.ta 0 1 2 3 4 5 Classical slowing down time [ms] • Global modes are further suppressed • Lifetime increases with NBI

1.0 6 NBs 5 NBs 4 NBs 3 NBs 0.5 2 NBs 1 NB Plasma Radius

0.0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Time (ms) Binderbauer, et. al, Phys. Plasmas 22, 056110 (2015)

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 9 FRC Sustainment Correlates with NBI , et., al, AIP Conf. proceedings (2016) 030003 1721,

• Pulse length limited by hardware and stored energy supply (biasing, beams) Binderbauer

• Flux maintained up to at least 5-5.5 ms – showcases ability to drive current M.

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 10 Driftwave Stable Core, Unstable Scrape-off layer Density fluctuation Linear dispersion (experiment)* (simulation)

–1 10 0.82≤r/Rs≤0.87 FRC core

1.10≤r/Rs≤1.22 SOL 10–2 ~ n/n

10–3

10–4 0 15 30 45 60 75 Schmitz, et. al, Nat. Comm. 7, 13860 (2016) 13860 7, Comm. Nat. al, et. Schmitz, kζ ρs kζ = n/R κ=R0/Ln (normalized inverse density scale-length) ρs=√((Ti+Te)/mi)

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 11 Critical SOL Gradient Controls Onset of Fluctuations

Density fluctuation Linear dispersion (experiment)* (simulation)

r/Rs ~ 1.15 (SOL) r/Rs = 0.95 0.04 (Core) r/Rs ~ 0.85

kθρs ~ 5–20 24, 082512 (2017)

ñ/n 0.02

0 2 3 4

R/Ln Lau, et. al, Phys. Plasmas (R0/Cs = 2.5 μs) R/Ln crit R/Ln crit κ=R0/Ln (normalized inverse density scale-length)

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 12 19 –3 ne (10 m ) 0.6 2.3 Fluctuation Suppression via 1.9 0.4 0.2 1.5 1.1

(m) 0 E×B Sheared Flow r 0.2 0.7

0.4 0.4 R Rs 0.6 0

0.14

• Strong E×B shearing rate due to plasma (au) 0.07 r/Rs=1.1 ñ/n r/Rs=0.9 gun biasing 0

6

n R/Ln crit r/Rs=1.1 4 R/L 2 • Sheared E×B flow upshifts critical r/Rs=0.9 gradient and reduces turbulence via 1.0 ad/s) r 0.5 eddy shearing/decorrelation 6

(10

D ,

B 0 x E r (cm) f • Radial transport barrier at/outside the 3.0 –0.5 separatrix 1.5 1.5 1.0 0 (cm) r –10 0 10 (2016) 13860 7, Comm. Nat. al, et. Schmitz, 0.5 r-Rs (cm)

0 0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 Time (ms) COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 13 Dramatically Improved Confinement CP10.00064 (2016) CP10.00064 . Am. Phys. Soc. 61, 61, Soc. Phys. Am. . , et., al, Phys. Plasmas (2015) 056110 22, PBull

• ~10× improved particle • Strong positive correlation between Te Binderbauer

confinement and τEe Trask,et. al, • Good fit – ⌧ T 2.3 Ee / e COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 14 Past TAE Program Evolution

• Fast ion confinement is close to classical • Quiescent Core • Stabilized by FLR effects, magnetic well, fast parallel dynamics • Inverted wavenumber spectrum – evidence of FLR stabilization of ion modes – consistent with near-classical core thermal ion transport

• Some electron-scale turbulence – anomalous electron transport (χe < 20 χcl)

• τEe exhibits positive Te power dependence • SOL/Edge Fluctuations • Fluctuations peak outbound near separatrix, with radial outbound convection

• Exponentially decaying gyro-scale turbulence up to kθρs < 50 • Critical density gradient controlls onset of density fluctuations • Core and SOL coupling – SOL turbulence affects FRC confinement • Evidence of localized flow shear at separatrix creating thermal barrier

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 15 Current Status and Next Steps

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 16 TAE progress towards fusion Evolutionary sequence of platforms

TAE’s current Major development platforms integrate then machine best design • First plasma July 2017 • incremental bases for rapid innovation • One year construction • On time, on Copernicus entering phased sequence of budget reactor performance experiments

C-2U Plasma Sustainment

A, B, C-1 200’ Early development and C-2 science First full-scale machine 100’

70’ Norman Copernicus Reactor plasma performance 70’ (aka C-2W) Collisionless Scaling

1998 – 2000s 2009-2012 2013-2015 2017-2018 2019+

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 17 Norman Goals Explore beam driven FRCs at 10x stored energy compared to C-2U

• Principal physics focus on • scrape off layer and divertor behavior • ramp-up characteristics • transport regimes

• Specific programmatic goals • demonstrate ramp-up and sustainment for times well in excess of characteristic confinement and wall times • explore energy confinement scaling over broad range of parameters • core and edge confinement scaling and coupling • consolidated picture between theory, simulation and experiment • develop and demonstrate first order active plasma control

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 18 Norman (aka C-2W) TAE’s 5th generation machine

Magnetic Field 0.1–0.3 T

Plasma dimensions – rs , Ls 0.4, 3 m 19 -3 Density – ne 3×10 m COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 19 Temperature – Ti ,Te 1-2, 0.2-1 keV Norman – Neutral Beam System

Norman Norman C-2U Phase 1 Phase 2 Beam Energy, keV 15 15 15/15-40 Total Power 10 13 21 # of Injectors 6 8 4/4 Pulse, ms 8 30 30 Ion current per source, A 130 130 130

• Centered/angled/tangential neutral-beam injection • angle adjustable in range of 15°–25° • injection in ion-diamagnetic (co-current) direction • High current with low/tunable beam energy • reduces peripheral fast-ion losses • increases core heating / effective current drive • rapidly establishes dominant fast-ion pressure for ramp-up

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 20 Norman Plasma Lifetime Trends Expected increase commensurate with vacuum performance

Plasma Lifetime_T5 History 9 Ti getter in In-DIVs 8

7

6

5 Ti getter in Out-DIVs 4

Ti getter 3 in CV w/o Ti getter Plasma Lifetime, T5 (ms) T5 Lifetime, Plasma 2

1

0 102900 103100 103300 103500 103700 103900 104100 104300 Shot Number

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 21 Norman Plasma Temperature Trends Continuous improvement in total temperature

Total Temperature History/Trend 2 Total temperature (ion+electron) 1.8 Ttot_TS@50us consistently increasing Ttot_TS@100us 1.6 Ttot_TS@200us • lower impurity radiation losses 1.4

1.2 • more efficient beam coupling 1 • better confinement 0.8

0.6 Early temperature moving to 2 keV Total Temperature (keV) 0.4 • higher energy formation section 0.2

0 • better pre-ionization 103400 103500 103600 103700 103800 103900 104000 104100 104200 Shot Number Increasing FRC performance over time

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 22 Where will TAE be post Norman

Basic proof of scientific feasibility established, meaning • Transport scaling established for collisionless regime • Macroscopically stable operation • Active feedback control established and demonstrated • Heating and current drive established and demonstrated • Open field line/SOL/divertor thermal insulation demonstrated

Overall system integration principles and control system know-how established

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 23 Overall Perspective Forward

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 24 Fusion Goals and Opportunity

• Start with End in Mind – applied product

• Clean and safe power generation asset

• Competitive with present energy sources • LCoE of ≲ 8 ¢/kWh, overnight cost of ≲ $5,000 per kW

• Minimized regulatory burden

• Clear market opportunity now (even vis-a-vis renewables + storage)

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 25 How do we get there (1/2)

• Sense of urgency

• Broad target approach • Take advantage of advances in one concept to bootstrap others

• Look at (parallel) technology evolutions that tilt equation in our favor

• Re-evaluate scale needed now and at full power plant • Smaller devices are cheaper, faster to built, easier to rebuild, etc

• Pool with stakeholders that may only have partial overlap with fusion • Attract more funding by building larger community • Critical mass to move public policy

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 26 How do we get there (2/2)

• Innovate fast • Don’t be afraid of failure – learn by breaking things • Iterating is essential to fast progress • Generate volume of data necessary to apply AI and machine learning

• Public-private partnership • Involve industrial and private sector early • Helps to recalibrate goals • Introduces private sector thinking and customer needs

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 27 How TAE accelerates innovation

• Build platforms with opportunities for fast cycles of learning

• Strategic partnerships to pool talents/resources • Traditional fusion partners – universities and national labs • Outside of typical fusion efforts – Google, utilities/EPRI, industrial sector

• Deploy advances in machine learning and AI • Operational optimization • Feedback control – assessing and driving “patterns” might be good enough

• Aim for aneutronic fuel cycle

• Take advantage of forcing function provided by private capital

• Spin-off applications – medical, EV, etc – develops early revenue, supply chain

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 28 What TAE needs help with (1/2)

Overall

• Collaborate with community to minimize re-learning

Particular areas of support

• First wall Materials and design

• Divertor design and engineering

• RF heating - overdense plasma (high-beta)

• Computational support – codes and computing time

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 29 What TAE needs help with (2/2)

Particular areas of support (cont.)

• Diagnostics and sensor development for burning plasma regime

• Magnet system design and possible HTS use

• Overall system engineering support

• Remote handling

• Siting and site development

• Tax breaks and incentives

• Regulatory and licensing support

COMMITTE ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 30 ThankCOMMITTE ON A STRATEGICYou PLAN FOR U.S. BURNING PLASMA RESEARCH | FEBRUARY 2018 31