Disruption Modeling Codes
Disruption codes model the fast loss of plasma confinement, predicting the thermal quench, current quench, forces, and heat loads on the machine.
The disruption sequence
A disruption is the sudden, involuntary loss of plasma confinement. It proceeds in stages: a thermal quench dumps the stored thermal energy to the wall in milliseconds, followed by a current quench in which the plasma current decays, driving large induced currents and forces in the structure, and possibly generating runaway electrons. Disruption modeling codes simulate this sequence to predict the loads the machine must survive.
The consequences, localized heat flux, halo and eddy currents, electromagnetic forces on the vessel, set structural and first-wall requirements, so predicting them is a machine-protection necessity, not an academic exercise.
Coupled physics
Disruption simulation couples nonlinear MHD for the loss of confinement, impurity and radiation physics for the energy dissipation, and electromagnetic modeling of induced currents in conducting structures. Halo currents flowing partly through the wall produce forces that must be resolved with the vessel geometry.
Mitigation modeling
Codes also model mitigation: massive gas injection or shattered-pellet injection to radiate the thermal energy uniformly and avoid concentrated damage. Predicting the assimilation and radiation of injected material links disruption codes to pellet-ablation physics.
Design relevance
For the Hyperion breeder, disruption modeling estimates the worst-case forces and heat loads used to specify the vessel and first-wall design, and to size the disruption-mitigation system, all in simulation before construction begins Q2 2027.
- Models thermal quench, current quench, forces
- Predicts heat loads and halo currents
- Couples MHD, radiation, electromagnetics
- Assesses gas and pellet mitigation