Significant progress has been made in the simulation of the core plasma in a Tokamak fusion reactor. Breakthroughs are needed now in the simulation of the ‘scrape-off’ plasma, where multiphysics and multiscale aspects play a key role.
The interaction of the scrape-off plasma with the Tokamak wall means that Plasma-Facing Materials (PFMs) need to be studied. Plasma-surface interactions are studied intensively experimentally within DIFFER in the Magnum-PSI facility. The low-temperature Computational Plasma Physics activities within DIFFER and the TU/e are essential for the modeling of fuel production and conversion, and clean combustion, subjects that are experimentally intensively studied at DIFFER and by various groups at the TU/e.
Research that would also fit into this research line encompasses:
- the simulation of the mechanical strength, deformation and aeroelastic behavior of the tower and blades of wind turbines (wind energy),
- large-scale simulations of (multiphase) flow in porous systems (carbon capture and storage, packed bed reactors), and
- state-space modeling of parallel and serial electrochemical reactions (photocatalysis, electrolysis, and fuel cells).