DIII-D to Close Critical Gaps to Fusion Energy

DIII-D is pursuing an ambitious plan to rapidly close gaps to a Fusion Pilot Plant and prepare for ITER, integrating performance, wall and exhaust solutions, addressing plasma interacting materials and technology, and engaging with the private sector. A volume and shaping rise has been implemented, which together with funded increases of electron cyclotron and neutral beam power (through RF sources), and new ‘helicon’ and HFS-LHCD systems, is expanding the limits of fusion performance. A reactor relevant wall is planned to assess innovative materials in the plasma environment. A novel ‘chimney’ divertor concept offers the potential for high dissipation with high performance, and to resolve critical divertor science for reactor projection, while a pumped NT divertor will test an alternative path. A runaway electron mitigation coil and new pellet injectors will meet the disruption challenge, while spin polarized fusion tests could transform multiple fusion concepts. DIII-D is being established as a testbed for private industry, with machine learning, materials, plasma research, diagnostics and other technology tests. The facility is also being interfaced to U.S. Integrated Research Infrastructure (IRI) and supercomputer facilities. This work will accelerate the fusion path, providing unique and vitally needed insights in the development of fusion energy.