The Breeder Design Point

The full HYPERION operating point in one place, every number from the frozen canon.

Q

3.076

P_fus

85.0 MW

I_p

9.66 MA

Peak field

16.84 T

Confinement

H98 1.0

Deposit

DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21746157

HYPERION's frozen design point: Q = 3.076, fusion power 85.0 MW (70.7 MW in neutrons, fraction 79.7%), plasma current 9.66 MA at bootstrap fraction 15.2%, auxiliary power 25.9 MW. Field on axis 8 T, peak 16.84 T; R₀ 1.2 m, a 0.48 m, A 2.5, κ 2.0, δ -0.30, q₉₅ 3.0.

Confinement τ_E = 0.374 s at H₉₈ = 1.0; β_N = 1.532; ion temperature 15 keV; Z_eff 1.16; first-wall load 1.97 MW/m2. Fuel cycle: 4.0 kg/yr tritium at TBR 1.8, 1.97 kg/yr helium-3, startup 6.47 kg.

How the numbers fit together

HYPERION's point is internally consistent, not a wish-list. The 85.0 MW of fusion power comes from a 15 keV plasma at density set by the operating window, confined for 0.374 s at standard H-mode quality (H₉₈ = 1.0). That confinement, against 25.9 MW of auxiliary heating, is what yields Q = 3.076. The 9.66 MA of current is split into a 15.2% self-driven bootstrap fraction plus externally driven current — the balance that makes steady-state operation credible.

The magnetics close the loop: an 8 T on-axis field rising to 16.84 T at the REBCO conductor, in an 1.2 m major-radius machine at aspect ratio 2.5, elongation 2.0 and negative triangularity -0.30. The result is a compact, high-beta (β_N = 1.532) neutron source rather than a large one.

Common questions