In this episode, TAE Director of Computational Science Sean Dettrick explores the groundbreaking role of simulation in advancing commercial fusion. Since joining TAE in 2002, Dettrick has led efforts to build a "digital twin" of fusion reactors—high-fidelity simulations that mirror the physical machines under development, allowing researchers to predict and optimize reactor behavior without physically constructing every variation.

These simulations are not just digital prototypes—they’re essential tools for understanding the intricate physics of plasma behavior, validating experimental data, and informing future designs.

TAE’s sixth-generation fusion machine, Copernicus, is still in development but Dettrick and his team have already seen it "operate" in the virtual world. Through simulations, they analyze how plasma reacts under various conditions, tweak system parameters, and test designs far faster and more flexibly than physical experiments allow.

As computational power has grown from teraflops to petaflops and now to the exascale frontier, so too has the capacity to simulate the six-dimensional complexity of plasma physics. Dettrick emphasizes that reaching commercial fusion will require continued advances in both computing and collaboration between theoretical and experimental scientists.

Looking ahead, Dettrick believes simulations will be crucial not only in building the first fusion power plants but in optimizing them for mass production—ensuring they’re not just functional, but also manufacturable.

Covered in this episode:

• TAE has created high-fidelity digital twins of its fusion reactors.
• These simulations allow testing and optimization without building physical prototypes.
• Models are calibrated with real-world data to predict future reactor behavior.
• The iterative process involves designing a system, testing it in simulation, and then refining it before physical construction.
• Digital models can test design changes that would be physically impossible or too costly to implement in real experiments and provide quick feedback on potential improvements.
• TAE’s sixth-generation machine is already running in virtual form. Simulations have modeled target plasma conditions, including temperatures exceeding 100 million °C.
• Fusion plasma must be modeled in six dimensions (3 spatial + 3 velocity), making it computationally intensive.
• Current simulations operate at petascale computing; exascale computing will be needed to fully understand energy losses.
• There's a healthy tension between simulation and physical testing—each validates and informs the other. Real-world results continue to refine and improve digital models.
• Even after a successful reactor is built, simulations will play a key role in optimizing performance and cost-efficiency for future generations.

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