About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Interrelated Extremes in Materials Degradation for Fission and Fusion Environments
|
| Presentation Title |
Large-scale finite element models informed by neutron transport and atomistic simulations |
| Author(s) |
Luca Reali |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Luca Reali |
| Abstract Scope |
To greatly accelerate the development of new fusion reactor concept, there is no way around digital engineering. To address this fundamental challenge of reactor design, a finite element method (FEM) model for the Mega-Ampere Spherical Tokamak Upgrade fusion tokamak, has been created as a proxy for a fusion power plant. The model is tightly coupled to neutron transport calculations of the same structure. The neutron spectra are used to parametrise a swelling model via atomistic simulations, achieving a much-needed multi-scale and multi-physics model. The framework is heavily dependent on high-performance computing, pushing the boundaries of current neutron transport, atomistic and finite element simulations. We present example simulations of the stress in MAST-U due to gravitational loading, acoustic vibrations, and swelling. We provide a digital foundation for the assessment of reactor performance as well as for specifying the relevant materials testing programme.
Ellis, et al. Nuclear Fusion 65-036033 (2025). |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Modeling and Simulation, Nuclear Materials, |