ESC research group news

A Dutch-American team of researchers has discovered that the beam to suppress plasma instabilities in a nuclear fusion reactor becomes two to three times broader than calculated. This is a challenge, because such a spread-out beam is much weaker, and there isn't always extra energy to make a stronger beam. The researchers published their findings in the journal Nuclear Fusion.

Dinesh Krishnamoorthy (DIFFER and TU/e) is the recipient of a EUROfusion Engineering Grant. This has just been announced by EUROfusion. Krishnamoorthy will investigate how to keep a nuclear fusion power plant under control in real-time.

Fusion scientists at DIFFER, together with an international team of groundwater researchers, have written a paper on new ways to determine how fast groundwater enters or exits the river. This is directly related to how the temperature in the riverbed changes. By measuring the temperature at different soil depths, they can determine the relevant heat transport parameters.

Using more eyes to control fusion reactions: EUROfusion granted a project on multivariable feedback control of radiative loss processes.

Midden in een fusiereactor is het onwaarschijnlijk heet. Waterstof dat uit dit binnenste ontsnapt, moet op weg naar de wand worden afgekoeld, anders smelt de reactorwand. DIFFER-onderzoekers ontwikkelden met het EPFL Swiss Plasma Center een strakke meet- en regelmethode om deze hete ontsnapte deeltjes uit het fusieplasma extreem gecontroleerd te kunnen koelen.