Nuclear fusion, the process that powers the sun, holds great potential as a clean, abundant energy source.
However, harnessing this power requires complex technology, such as tokamaks and doughnut-shaped reactors that use powerful magnets to confine superheated plasma.
Understanding the complex behavior of plasma in these reactors is essential for achieving sustainable nuclear fusion energy.
To facilitate human understanding of this complex phenomenon, the Laboratory for Experimental Museology (EM+) at Swiss EPFL has enabled the live simulation viewing of a tokamak using 3D visualization technology.
EM+ created a program capable of transforming the terabytes of data generated by tokamak simulations into a cohesive 3D visualization experience. Likewise, EPFL’s Swiss Plasma Center (SPC) has successfully converted the data into a 3D visualization experience.
How the 3D visualization of nuclear fusion works
The visualization is a journey into a ring of fireworks depicting a potential future nuclear fusion energy source for the general public.
However, for scientists, it serves as a valuable tool that makes the intricate phenomena of quantum physics understandable and assists them in comprehending the outcomes of their calculations, as per EPFL.
The 3D panorama, 4 meters high and 10 meters in diameter, visualizes the interior of EPFL’s variable-configuration tokamak (TCV) in stunning detail.
“We used a robot to generate ultra-high-precision scans of the reactor interior, which we then compiled to produce a 3D model that replicates its components right down to their texture,” Samy Mannane, a computer scientist at EM+, said .
“We were even able to capture the wear and tear on the graphite tiles lining the reactor walls, which are subject to extremely high temperatures during test runs of the TCV.”
Mannane said that to produce just a single image, the system has to calculate the trajectories of thousands of moving particles at a speed of 60 times per second for each eye.
What viewers can see
The outcome of this 3D visualization of the process of nuclear fusion comprises lifelike images of astonishing quality, as stated by EPFL.
The viewers can see the injection device depositing particles into the tokamak and the graphite tiles capable of withstanding temperatures of over 100 million degrees Celsius.
The visualization includes an image of a human being, and the reactor is approximately twice the size of the human to provide viewers with a sense of scale.
As the simulation intensifies, the observer can feel minuscule as numerous particles zoom past, spinning, swirling, and pursuing each other.
In the visualization, electrons are represented in red, protons in green, and blue lines indicate the magnetic field.
Users can adjust any parameters to view a specific reactor part from a chosen angle, resulting in almost perfect rendering.
SPC director Paolo Ricci explains, “Visualization techniques are fairly advanced in astrophysics, owing largely to planetariums. But in nuclear fusion, we’re just starting to use this technology – thanks notably to the work we’re doing with EM+.”
This collaboration between scientists and visualization experts showcases the power of combining data-driven research with artistic expression. The 3D visualization of the tokamak is a stunning achievement and a significant step forward in unlocking the secrets of nuclear fusion.
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