A seminar by Phil Snyder
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Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) is assembling the high field SPARC tokamak (Bt=12.2T) and designing the first ARC fusion power plant. As assembly progresses, CFS is working closely with a broad team of collaborators to develop integrated physics scenarios for SPARC, both for achieving fusion breakeven in the early phase of operation, and for study burning plasmas in later stages. The edge transport barrier (or “pedestal”), plays an outsize role in determining fusion performance, and also challenges standard plasma physics paradigms. We discuss (1) the rich multi-scale physics of the edge pedestal, (2) development and testing of practical models (eg EPED) to address these challenges, and (3) integration of pedestal physics with core and boundary physics to develop comprehensive capability to predict and optimize fusion performance. Finally we discuss key research questions for SPARC and implications for a cost-effective ARC fusion power plant.
Philip Snyder serves as Vice President of Plasma Physics at Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), leading a world class team of physicists at the world’s largest fusion company. He previously served as Program Director for Fusion Energy Research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and as Director of Theory & Computational Science at General Atomics. Snyder’s research has focused on electromagnetic plasma turbulence, along with the stability and dynamics of the edge region of magnetic fusion plasmas, particularly the physics of the edge transport barrier (“pedestal”) and edge localized modes (ELMs). He played a key role in the development of the peeling-ballooning model of ELMs, and later developed a predictive model of the pedestal structure (EPED). Snyder predicted the existence of a high fusion performance regime known as Super H-Mode, and engaged in record-breaking experiments to discover and explore it. Snyder received his BS in computational physics from Yale University and a PhD in plasma physics from Princeton University. He is an APS Fellow, and has been recognized by the Rosenbluth Award for Fusion Theory (2004), the APS Dawson Award for Excellence in Plasma Physics Research (2013), the IAEA Nuclear Fusion Prize (2014), and ORNL Corporate Fellowship (2022). He has engaged in numerous fusion community planning activities including serving as a member of the National Academies Committees on a Strategic Plan for U.S. Burning Plasma Research (2017-19) and Key Goals and Innovations Needed for a U.S. Pilot Plant (2020-21).
