Abstract

Fusion energy offers a promising clean energy source to help achieve net-zero goals, with magnetic confinement using spherical tokamaks being a leading approach. The UK’s STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) programme aims to design, build, and demonstrate a fusion power plant. This talk provides an overview of the project, focusing on four key control challenges. First, it covers the plant’s architecture and philosophy for construction, operation, and maintenance. Second, it explores the control theory needed to manage the unstable plasma, requiring sophisticated sensors and coordination of heating, fuelling, and magnetic systems to maintain stability. Third, it addresses the unique challenges of steady-state fusion power delivery, such as vertical control of elongated plasmas, managing plasma burn, and extreme heat loads on exhaust structures. Finally, it reviews the engineering lifecycle, from Exascale simulations to real-time control systems that will ensure robust performance and long-term maintainability for this new energy supply industry.

The seminar will be held in the LR3A , Department of Engineering, and online (zoom): https://newnham.zoom.us/j/92544958528?pwd=YS9PcGRnbXBOcStBdStNb3E0SHN1UT09