Integrated Modeling Frameworks
Integrated frameworks orchestrate many physics codes into one self-consistent whole-device simulation, passing data between equilibrium, transport, heating, and edge modules.
Why integration
No single code captures a whole fusion device. Equilibrium, core transport, edge and scrape-off-layer physics, heating and current drive, and MHD stability are each specialized problems with their own solvers. An integrated modeling framework couples these modules so their outputs feed each other and the combined state converges to a self-consistent solution.
The value is closure: the equilibrium depends on the pressure profile, the pressure profile depends on transport, transport depends on the heating deposition, and the heating deposition depends on the equilibrium. A framework iterates this loop instead of freezing arbitrary inputs.
Data standards and interfaces
Modern frameworks rely on a shared data model so modules exchange information through a common schema rather than bespoke file formats. Standardized interface definitions let a transport solver written by one group consume equilibria from another without translation glue, which is what makes the ecosystem composable.
Time-dependent vs steady-state
Frameworks run in two modes. Time-dependent simulation advances profiles through a discharge, useful for scenario development and control. Steady-state or fixed-point solving seeks a self-consistent operating point, useful for design. Both call the same physics modules; only the outer loop differs.
Application to design
For the Hyperion breeder and the Aegis and MetroVolt burner concepts, integrated modeling assembles the frozen physics parameters into consistent whole-device pictures in simulation. It lets designers test whether a claimed profile, heating scheme, and shape hold together before committing to construction, which begins Q2 2027.
- Couples equilibrium, transport, heating, edge, stability
- Iterates to a self-consistent state
- Uses shared data models for composability
- Runs time-dependent or steady-state