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AI finds hidden safe zones inside a fusion reactor, where parts are protected from blistering plasma heat, keeping reactors running safely and moving fusion energy closer to reality


Scientists have developed a lightning-fast AI tool called HEAT-ML that can spot hidden “safe zones” inside a fusion reactor where parts are protected from blistering plasma heat. Finding these areas, known as magnetic shadows, is key to keeping reactors running safely and moving fusion energy closer to reality.

"The plasma-facing components of the tokamak might come in contact with the plasma, which is very hot and can melt or damage these elements," said Doménica Corona Rivera, an associate research physicist at PPPL and first author on the paper on HEAT-ML. HEAT was created by CFS Manager Tom Looby during his doctoral work with Matt Reinke, now leader of the SPARC Diagnostic Team, and was first applied on the exhaust system for PPPL's National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade machine. However, the research team hopes to expand its capabilities to generalize the calculation of shadow masks for exhaust systems of any shape and size, as well as the rest of the plasma-facing components inside a tokamak.

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