Progress at TAE: 38th FPA Annual Meeting 2017

Summary

This presentation by Michl Binderbauer, President and CTO of TAE Technologies, provides an update on TAE’s fusion program and technology spin-offs at the 38th Fusion Power Associates (FPA) Annual Meeting in December 2017. It highlights key milestones including the construction and initial operation of the Norman (C-2W) machine, experimental results on Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) translation and collisional merging, neutral beam systems, and the commercialization efforts through TAE Life Sciences.

Slide 1: Title Slide

Progress at TAE 38th FPA Annual Meeting 2017 Michl Binderbauer | President & CTO | TAE Technologies

Slide 2: 2017 at TAE Technologies - Key accomplishments

2017 at TAE Technologies Key accomplishments • Finished construction of Norman (formerly C-2W) – first plasma in June • Regular science operation on Norman – 3,000 shots since July • Successful plasma formation from both ends • Efficient translation through inner divertors and plasma merging achieved • Sustained operation at 1 keV temperatures under way • Substantial progress on turbulence simulations • Successful launch of TAE Lifesciences • Spin-off to commercialize beam technology in oncology space

Slide 3: Agenda

Agenda • Concept Introduction and History • C-2W Program Overview and Initial Results • Program goals • Norman – design, subsystems and performance • FRC formation/translation studies • Initial FRC collisional-merging experiments • Technology Spin-offs

Slide 4: TAE Concept - Advanced beam driven FRC

TAE Concept Advanced beam driven FRC • High plasma β~1 • compact and high power density • aneutronic fuel capability • indigenous kinetic particles • Tangential high-energy beam injection • large orbit ion population decouples from micro-turbulence • improved stability and transport • Simple geometry • only diamagnetic currents • easier design and maintenance • Linear unrestricted divertor • facilitates impurity, ash and power removal

Slide 5: Past TAE Program Evolution

Past TAE Program Evolution • A & B – Basic FRC core (2000, 2003): 100-800 G, 5-10 eV, ion beams, Wb ~0.1 kJ • C-1 – Enhanced lifetime (2004): 400 G, 10 eV, ion beams, Wb ~1 kJ • C-2 – HPF* w/ 2 guns, Ti getter (2011): 1 kG, 1 keV, neutral beams, Wb ~12 kJ • C-2 – HPF* w/ 2 guns, Li getter (2014): 1 kG, 1 keV, neutral beams, Wb ~20 kJ • C-2U – Sustainment 5+ ms (2015): 1 kG, 1 keV, neutral beams, Wb ~100 kJ

HPF – High Performance FRC regime

Slide 6: C-2W Program Overview

C-2W Program Overview

Slide 7: Phase C-2W Goals

Phase C-2W Goals Explore beam driven FRCs at 10x stored energy • Principal physics focus on: • scrape off layer and divertor behavior • ramp-up characteristics • transport regimes • Specific programmatic goals: • demonstrate ramp-up and sustainment for times well in excess of characteristic confinement and wall times • explore energy confinement scaling over broad range of plasma parameters • core and edge confinement scaling and coupling • consolidated picture between theory, simulation and experiment • develop and demonstrate first order active plasma control

Slide 8: Norman - TAE’s 5th generation machine

Norman TAE’s 5th generation machine • Magnetic Field: 0.1–0.3 T • Plasma dimensions – rs, Ls: 0.4, 3 m • Density – ne: 3×10^19 m^-3 • Temperature – Ti, Te: 1-2, 0.2-1 keV

Slide 9: Norman – Neutral Beam System

Norman – Neutral Beam System

Features: • Centered, angled and tangential neutral-beam injection • angle adjustable in range of 15°–25° • injection in ion-diamagnetic (co-current) direction • High current with low/tunable beam energy • reduces peripheral fast-ion losses • increases core heating / effective current drive • rapidly establishes dominant fast-ion pressure for plasma ramp-up

Slide 10: Norman – Diagnostics

Norman – Diagnostics Comprehensive diagnostics suite • 4 main zones with 40+ diagnostics: • Core plasma inside the FRC separatrix • mirror-confined scrape-off layer (SOL) and jet • rapidly expanding plasma in the inner divertors and/or end divertors • FRC formation sections Midplane Cross Section Diagnostics include: • Thomson Scattering • FIR Chord Ports • 100 Channel Bolometer • Bremsstrahlung and Dα Fan • Secondary Electron Emission Neutral Beam Profile Monitor • Magnetic probes

Slide 11: Norman – Divertors

Norman – Divertors Critical for edge control • 2×10^6 L/s pumping to reduce recycling • field expanders to minimize e– cooling • electrodes for stability control • fast switching coils to translate FRCs

Key Subsystems: • LN2 Supply • Cryopanels • Fast-Switching Magnet Coils • Funnel Limiters • Divertor Electrodes (20 kV standoff)

Slide 12: Norman – Divertor Operation Modes

Norman – Divertor Operation Modes Edge biasing & outer/inner divertor switching • Density Contours and Magnetic Field Contours shown for: • w/ Straight Field (at inner divertor): Edge biasing (Out-Div.) / Strong field • w/ Field Expansion (at inner divertor): Edge biasing (In-Div.) / Weak field (thus expanded) • Layout zones: S. Outer Divertor, S. Formation, S. Inner Divertor, Confinement, N. Inner Divertor, N. Formation, N. Outer Divertor

Slide 13: C-2W Initial Results

C-2W Initial Results

Slide 14: Initial FRC Translation Studies (single-sided)

Initial FRC Translation Studies (single-sided) Successful translation through inner divertor achieved • Experiment: Experimental time evolution of excluded flux radius during formation and translation (S. Formation -> S. Inner Divertor -> Confinement) • Simulation: 2D MHD simulation by LamyRidge code; Simulated time evolution of excluded flux radius during formation and translation

Slide 15: Initial FRC Translation Studies (single-sided) - Imaging

Initial FRC Translation Studies (single-sided) Successful translation through inner divertor achieved • Fast-Framing Camera Images: • In inner divertor: Inner divertor camera observes clean FRC translation during FRC translation • In confinement vessel: Confinement vessel camera observes FRC reflections as plasma bounces back and forth in CV (During FRC translation and After settled, t~0.9 ms)

Slide 16: First FRC Collision/Merging Data (double-sided)

First FRC Collision/Merging Data (double-sided) Successful production of collided/merged state • FRCs collide near midplane and live up to ~1 ms • no beams or plasma-gun biasing • first Thomson scattering based electron temperature/density profiles • Excluded-Flux Radius Time Evolution plots • Thomson Scattering Initial Data (Temperature and Density profiles)

Slide 17: C-2W Summary

C-2W Summary • Engineering accomplishments: • All major subsystems constructed and double-sided configuration operational in 12 month build cycle • Considerably upgraded formation pulsed power, vacuum system, neutral beams, magnets, edge-biasing systems and divertors • Initial experimental results: • FRCs successfully formed and translated through inner divertors • record translation speeds of ~400 km/s observed (250 km/s in C-2U) • FRC collision/merging experiments under way, already producing 1+ ms plasma lifetime even without NBs, edge biasing or wall conditioning

Slide 18: Technology Spin-offs

Technology Spin-offs

Slide 19: TAE Life Sciences Update

TAE Life Sciences Update • TAE Lifesciences established • Spin-off based on TAE neutral beam injector technology • TAE majority owned, but independent capital and management team • Will offer full treatment solution to hospitals, not just neutron beam • First clinical system sold in October 2017, to deploy in 2019

Slide 20: Neutron Beam Development

Neutron Beam Development • Design of first clinical beam underway • Conceptual design review completed • Early procurement and supply chain development under way (aids fusion beam development) • Pre-clinical prototype under assembly, to undergo testing by summer 2018

Slide 21: Thank You

Thank You 38th FPA ANNUAL MEETING | DECEMBER 2017