Stellaris: A high-field quasi-isodynamic stellarator for a prototypical fusion power plant

Magnetic confinement fusion research has so far prioritized the tokamak concept, which presents greater design simplicity at the cost of control complexity in comparison to stellarators. Recent progress on high-temperature superconductors (HTS) has enabled a new generation of high-field tokamaks with more compact designs. However, the presence of large magnetic fields implies correspondingly large plasma currents, raising challenges regarding plasma stability. Meanwhile, key milestones have been reached in recent years by Wendelstein 7-X, the world’s most advanced stellarator, and breakthroughs in computational optimization have enabled radically improved stellarator designs. In this paper, we present a concept for a new class of quasi-isodynamic (QI) stellarators leveraging HTS technology to overcome well-known challenges of a tokamak. This class of QI-HTS stellarators, labeled Stellaris, is shown to achieve an extensive set of desirable properties for reactor candidates simultaneously for the first time, offering a compelling path toward commercially viable fusion energy. We summarize a comprehensive reactor study, ranging from optimization of the plasma confinement region to first wall cooling, divertor considerations, blanket design, magnet quench safety, support structures, and remote maintenance solutions. Our results demonstrate that a coherent set of trade-offs between physics and engineering constraints can lead to a compelling stellarator design, suited for power plant applications. We anticipate that this work will motivate greater focus on QI stellarators, in both publicly and privately funded research. • A coherent QI-HTS stellarator study, showing feasibility for a power plant. • First QI stellarator with reactor-relevant coils and low fast particle losses. • Stellarator reactor setting simulations for wall temperature and divertor heat loads. • Neutronics study showing TBR, shielding, and DPA can be achieved together. • First high-field, modular stellarator support structure design.

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Publication Details

Journal
Fusion Engineering and Design
Published
2025-02-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2025.114868
Citations
29
Primary Topic
Magnetic confinement fusion research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
54.24
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article

Stellaris: A high-field quasi-isodynamic stellarator for a prototypical fusion power plant

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29 citations
Fusion Engineering and Design
Magnetic confinement fusion research
54.24
article

Stellaris: A high-field quasi-isodynamic stellarator for a prototypical fusion power plant

T. Stange, Robert A. Slade, J. V. Geiger, J. Lion, Min Zheng, A. Bañón Navarro, A. Merlo, F. Wilms, E. Lascas Neto, F. Hernández, F. Sciortino, Jim-Felix Lobsien, S. Henneberg, Mark J. Kaiser, T. N. Todd, D. Middleton-Gear, A. Goodman, Nicolò Riva, A. Di Siena, P. Xanthopoulos, J. Shimwell, Rafael Miró Herrero, M. Drevlak, N. Foppiani, Jeffrey Angles, J. Schilling, C. Hintze, L. Wegener, Santiago A. Cadena, F. Jenko, R. Jorge, H. P. Laqua, V. Maurin, John Jelonnek, G. G. Plunk, Massimiliano Leoni, M. Pascu, R. R. Davies, Wei Guo, Enrico Guiraud, H. Höchter, M. Kubie, Lukas Bonauer, Marija Savtchouk
article en
29 citations

Abstract

Magnetic confinement fusion research has so far prioritized the tokamak concept, which presents greater design simplicity at the cost of control complexity in comparison to stellarators. Recent progress on high-temperature superconductors (HTS) has enabled a new generation of high-field tokamaks with more compact designs. However, the presence of large magnetic fields implies correspondingly large plasma currents, raising challenges regarding plasma stability. Meanwhile, key milestones have been reached in recent years by Wendelstein 7-X, the world’s most advanced stellarator, and breakthroughs in computational optimization have enabled radically improved stellarator designs. In this paper, we present a concept for a new class of quasi-isodynamic (QI) stellarators leveraging HTS technology to overcome well-known challenges of a tokamak. This class of QI-HTS stellarators, labeled Stellaris, is shown to achieve an extensive set of desirable properties for reactor candidates simultaneously for the first time, offering a compelling path toward commercially viable fusion energy. We summarize a comprehensive reactor study, ranging from optimization of the plasma confinement region to first wall cooling, divertor considerations, blanket design, magnet quench safety, support structures, and remote maintenance solutions. Our results demonstrate that a coherent set of trade-offs between physics and engineering constraints can lead to a compelling stellarator design, suited for power plant applications. We anticipate that this work will motivate greater focus on QI stellarators, in both publicly and privately funded research. • A coherent QI-HTS stellarator study, showing feasibility for a power plant. • First QI stellarator with reactor-relevant coils and low fast particle losses. • Stellarator reactor setting simulations for wall temperature and divertor heat loads. • Neutronics study showing TBR, shielding, and DPA can be achieved together. • First high-field, modular stellarator support structure design.

Fusion Engineering and DesignVol. 214
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (DE), University of Wisconsin–Madison (US), Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics - Greifswald (DE), Plasma Technology (United States) (US), Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (DE)
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 0%
Magnetic confinement fusion research
54.24
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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