CD Technical Meeting (ML5): Turbulence surrogate models in integrated plasma modelling
K1/0/38
Machine Learning, Uncertainty Quantification and Data Science
Speaker: William Hornsby (Plasma Simulation)
Abstract
Plasma micro-turbulence is one of the dominant transport mechanisms of heat from the core of a fusion power plant. Direct numerical calculation of the micro-instabilities that form turbulence is computationally expensive and is a significant bottleneck in integrated plasma modelling, in which the many physical processes are coupled to predict reactor-level behaviour and to optimise operational scenarios of fusion power plants.
The considerable number of geometric and thermodynamic parameters, the interactions that influence the turbulence, and the resolutions needed to accurately resolve these turbulent modes, makes direct numerical simulation for parameter space exploration computationally extremely challenging. However, this makes it suitable for surrogate modelling, where speed ups of up 105 are possible making rapid scenario development a possibility.
In this talk the integrated plasma modelling use-case will be introduced as well as the turbulence surrogate modelling efforts at UKAEA, including how the models are integrated into larger workflows.