Time-dependent modeling of plasma exhaust in fusion reactors

Gijs Derks defended his PhD thesis at the Department of Mechanical Engineering on March 2.

What if the key to unlimited clean energy isn’t building hotter reactors—but learning how to cool them down? That’s the striking conclusion emerging from new research into fusion energy: the future of fusion power may hinge not on creating plasma hotter than the sun, but on mastering the delicate art of exhaust control. By developing a fast, time-dependent model of how superheated plasma interacts with reactor walls, PhD researcher Gijs Derks has taken a step toward making fusion reactors not just possible—but operational.