Proving FRC fusion stability at scale, with Senior Scientist Roelof Groenewald

For decades, Field-Reversed Configurations (FRCs) have been one of the most attractive opportunities in fusion because of the large power output, but one of the biggest doubts was whether they scale to power plant conditions. Conventional wisdom says the higher the temperature, the less stable plasma would become.

But now according to TAE’s new paper, that roadblock has been cleared.

In this episode, TAE computational physicist Roelof Groenewald shares how he and his team overturned this long-standing assumption. Their research shows that — somewhat paradoxically — FRC plasmas actually become more stable as they heat up. Think of a spinning top or bicycle or basketball spinning on your finger that becomes more stable the faster it spins. This breakthrough, along with TAE’s other enabling technologies, has enormous implications for the future of clean energy.

(00:33) Introduction to plasma physics, FRCs, and the challenge of stability

(01:50) Comparing FRCs to other fusion approaches

(04:22) How FRCs generate their own magnetic fields

(05:45) Plasma beta, efficiency, and why FRCs are special

(06:41) Why not everyone builds FRCs

(07:16) Stability concerns and the tilt problem

(09:19) Rosenbluth’s findings and the challenge of scaling FRCs

(11:07) Correlation between fast and hot, kinetic energy, and particle speed

(12:16) Challenging the old theory with real machines and simulations

(15:10) Proving stability at scale, matching math to reality

(18:09) Introduction to the simulation code and exascale computing

(20:40) Scaling up, confidence in simulation, and future machine design

(21:00) Exploring beam configurations and simulation experiments

(24:06) Overcoming obstacles, commercialization, and Da Vinci prototype

Full show notes: https://tae.com/proving-frc-fusion-stability-at-scale-with-senior-scientist-roelof-groenewald/

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