Power balance optimization with integrated whole-device modeling of MANTA, a negative triangularity fusion pilot plant concept

Plasmas with negative triangularity (NT) can access high confinement and have power-handling characteristics desirable for a fusion pilot plant (FPP). Recent NT experiments have motivated studies of reactor-relevant NT plasmas, but few are full-plant models. We will discuss power balance optimization in a whole-device model of a high-field NT FPP that extends from the plasma core to the surrounding magnets. This is accomplished using FREDA, a framework which integrates existing multifidelity physics and engineering codes for full plant simulation. The initial operating point of the NT FPP design MANTA¹ is pushed to two power-handling extremes: the first minimizes input power while maintaining acceptable performance for a FPP, which includes producing greater than 50 MWe, a tritium breeding ratio greater than unity, and tolerable divertor heat loads. The second maximizes plasma gain with conservative assumptions for NT confinement while maintaining tolerable heat loads on a conventional divertor. Both cases exemplify the power-handling benefit of NT plasmas and its relevance to FPP design.

¹The MANTA Collaboration et al 2024 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 66 105006