Numerical modeling of innovative fusion concepts within the BETHE program

Computer simulations are indispensable tools in the development of all areas of science and engineering. For any innovative fusion scheme, simulations are essential to help interpret data and to extrapolate from the first experiments to a prototype design. Here we present a project that assembles a theory/modeling Capability Team at the University of Rochester to provide, under the auspices of the DOE ARPA-E BETHE program, simulation support for Concept Teams and independent theoretical analysis of the physics underlying leading Concepts. We discuss the suite of simulation codes – fluid, hybrid, and kinetic – we use in this effort, and how they are applied to engage with Concept Teams that focus on Plasma-Jet-Driven Magneto-Inertial Fusion, Field-Reversal Configurations, and the staged Z-pinch. The codes central to this project are FLASH, TriForce, and OSIRIS, chosen because they are flexible, high-performance computing codes, capable of one-, two-, and three-dimensional simulations, which can be used by Concept Teams to sustainably continue their modeling efforts. We highlight select outcomes from this novel, collaborative effort and discuss how this research model can be successfully applied in the context of private-public partnerships. We acknowledge support by the U.S. DOE ARPA-E under Award No. DE-AR0001272, the U.S. DOE SC/FES under Award No. DE-SC0017951, and the U.S DOE NNSA under Awards No. DE-NA0003856 and DE-NA0003842, and Subcontracts No. 536203 and No 630138 with Los Alamos National Laboratory.