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SPARC as a Path to ARC and Commercial Fusion Power

ORAL

Abstract

This talk describes the current concept for the ARC pilot fusion power plant, compares parameters in various SPARC plasmas to anticipated ARC plasma parameters, and lays out the timeline in which SPARC plans to achieve milestones as handoffs to ARC design.  SPARC is being designed to achieve Q > 2 in order to demonstrate net energy production in a fusion device, and given nominal physics assumptions will have the capability of exploring regimes with Q ≈ 11 [A. J. Creely et al., J. Plasma Phys. 86 (5), 865860502 (2020)].  While these results will be an achievement in their own right, the true aim of SPARC is to validate the physics and technology necessary to build a commercial fusion power plant, currently embodied in the ARC design.  In addition to demonstrating high gain plasmas that are non-dimensionally similar to ARC plasmas, SPARC will also compare conventional and advanced divertor configurations at relevant heat and particles fluxes to inform ARC design.  SPARC operations will also inform the plasma control and diagnostics for ARC.  A rapid ramp up in SPARC capabilities enables the design and operation of ARC on a time frame consistent with combatting climate change and consistent with the goals laid out in recent FESAC and NASEM reports.

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Presenters

  • Alexander J Creely

    Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Authors

  • Alexander J Creely

    Commonwealth Fusion Systems

  • Dan Brunner

    Commonwealth Fusion Systems

  • Martin J Greenwald

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT, MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, PSFC

  • Adam Q Kuang

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology MI, MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, MIT PSFC, Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT

  • Robert T Mumgaard

    Commonwealth Fusion Systems

  • Matthew L Reinke

    Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Oak Ridge National Lab, CFS, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

  • Pablo Rodriguez-Fernandez

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology MI, MIT PSFC, Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT, MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Cambridge, MA02139, USA

  • Brandon N Sorbom

    Commonwealth Fusion Systems

  • Dennis G Whyte

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT