Universities and the UK

Magnetic Confinement Fusion Programme:

Context, Plasma Physics and Training Centres

Roddy Vann Programme Director for the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in the Science and Technology of Fusion Energy

York Plasma Institute Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD UK

Outline

• PhD in the fusion landscape

• Some of the science issues to be addressed

• Fusion training networks

• Where can a fusion PhD take you?

• Fusion Energy MSc at the University of York

• Low temperature plasmas

Roadmap to Fusion Power

MFE

Relevant to MFE & IFE

IFE

High-level pathway for UK fusion energy [RCUK Energy Programme report "A 20-year vision for the UK contribution to fusion as an energy source" (2010) http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/press-release-documents/20-yearvision.pdf]

PhD Postdoc Career 2010 2020 2030

Most experiments in the UK are performed on MAST, JET

and smaller-scale university facilities

Remote control room allows direct

access to data and control of

diagnostics at remote facilities –

including overseas

Theory and simulation:

The ARCHER national supercomputer is a valuable asset

The ARCHER national

supercomputer is a valuable asset

We also run codes on international

supercomputers e.g. MARCONI

International collaboration is central to magnetic confinement

fusion: major opportunities for international travel

• PhD students have worked on a wide range of fusion facilities an

research groups around the world Germany (AUG, TEXTOR, Stuttgart University)

Netherlands (Magnum-PSI)

S Korea (KSTAR)

US (General Atomics, Princeton, Austin, Lawrence Livermore National

Laboratory, …)

Australia

….

• The future offers further international opportunities – China (EAST and HL-2M)

– Japan (JT-60SA)

– Germany (W7-X)

– …

http://www.iter.org/

Research in support of ITER and DEMO

The Plasma Science Issues: Through a MAST Discharge

The Plasma Science Issues: Through a MAST Discharge

Plasma-based Doctoral Training Networks

in Fusion Energy

• A collaboration between three universities

• The Universities involved are

– University of Oxford (Physics)

– Imperial College, London

– University of Warwick

• Focus is on plasma physics aspects

– Experiments on major international facilities

– Theory and high performance computing

• A range of advanced plasma courses across the three universities provides

rigorous training

• Strong partnerships with RAL, STFC and CCFE

Centre for Postgraduate Training in Plasma Physics and

High Energy Density Science

• A collaboration between five universities and three government research labs

£10M training programme, training ~100 PhD students over 7 cohorts

• The Universities involved are

– University of Durham: advanced instrumentation; superconducting strand

– University of Liverpool: plasma exhaust physics; technological/medical

plasmas

– University of Manchester: materials, nuclear physics and activation

– University of Oxford: materials

– University of York (lead): magnetic confinement and inertial confinement

fusion; technological/medical plasmas; nuclear physics

• The Government research labs involved are

– Culham Centre for Fusion Energy

– Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Appleton Lab

– AWE

• Strong international links (e.g. ITER, NIF…)

EPSRC’s Fusion Centre for Doctoral Training

Collaboratory • Project management

• Critical thinking

• International network

• Communication

• Leadership

Taught courses •Formal lectures – breadth and depth

•Hands-on courses

Annual workshop and

seminars

•Networking with fusion

leaders

•Industry and careers event

•Student-led conference

Training Fusion leaders

Outreach • Communication

• Confidence

• Leadership

International facilities • International network

• Strong technical skills

Enhanced employability in the Fusion CDT

A flavour of PhD graduate destinations:

•Jack Snape – BIS

•Tom Williams – AMEC

•Joe Bushell – AMEC

•Rachel McAdams – PWC

•Jamie Beal – Kilburn & Strode (patent attorney)

•Llion Evans – CCFE materials

•Lucy Wilson – RAL PDRA

•Rachel Dance – Strathclyde PDRA

•Scott Silburn – JET

•Billy Huang – Tokamak Energy

•Matt Leyland – UoY PDRA on JET

•Nick Walkden – CCFE plasma science

•Lee Morgan – CCFE neutronics

Fusion Energy and Plasma Science MSc

at the University of York

• One-year Masters (MSc) at University of York (or 2-year part-time)

• A range of modules spanning basic plasma physics, fusion technology, high

performance computing, magnetic confinement, inertial confinement, low

temperature plasma, astrophysical plasmas, high energy density plasmas

• A choice from a wide range of projects over the summer (some with CCFE

and RAL….and possibly ITER)

– Modelling and experiment of laser-produced plasmas

– Theory, computer simulations and experiment of drift waves in cylindrical plasmas

– Experiments at the Central Laser Facility (RAL) on ICF issues

– Computer modelling of fast electrons in laser-produced plasmas

– Dynamics of the edge transport barrier in MAST

Low temperature plasmas beyond fusion – From advanced manufacturing to biomedicine and space travel

Intel plasma

etcher at YPI Labs Atmospheric plasma for

biomedical research at YPI

Plasma thruster developed by our

collaborators at ANU, Canberra