Development, Visualization, and Application of the ARIES Systems Code

Abstract

The ARIES research program has utilized its comprehensive ARIES systems code (ASC) and a new graphical user interface for visualizing the parameter space as important tools in its analysis of fusion power plant designs. Recently, the ASC has undergone modifications to accommodate different divertor designs, each having unique pumping powers, helium and liquid-metal pump thermal heat recovery, and the latest material, fabrication, and costing algorithms. The modifications and changes made to the code have been documented and verified by members of the ARIES team to ensure accuracy of implementation and self-consistency of design. The code has also been modified to display a wider range of input and output files, formulas, and algorithms for a greater degree of transparency and verification. After the changes to the code were completed and the version was locked, the ASC was employed to scan the physics and technology operating space for relevant power plant designs. Four corners of aggressiveness and conservativeness in both physics and technology serve as the boundaries for the scans within which a range of possible tokamaks exist. The Visual ARIES Systems Scanning Tool (VASST) has been used in parallel with the ASC scans to visualize the tremendous amounts of data resulting from these detailed systems scans. Displaying the data in a colorful and intuitive visual environment and giving the user explorative and visual interaction have helped extract meaningful relationships and trends from the data. Initially, broad scans from the ASC and VASST indicated areas of interest where additional detail was needed. Further scans of higher fidelity helped enhance and further refine the database. After the final scans were completed, VASST facilitated in displaying and filtering the large database to choose two “strawmen” data points at two of the four corners of the aggressive/conservative operating space. These points now serve as reference designs, so more detailed design and calculations can be done. The results of the in-depth designs assist the ASC by feeding back information into the code that can then be generalized for a wider range of operating scenarios relevant to the scanning range. This substantiates the ASC and helps mesh simple formulas with detailed design.