Nuclear Fusion

The Role of AI in Harnessing the Ultimate Energy Source

Almost all modern conflicts and wars have something to do with energy and energy security. What if there is a source of energy that provides clean, safe, and limitless energy, welcome to Nuclear Fusion. But what is Nuclear Fusion? Nuclear fusion is the process of combining atomic nuclei to form a more stable nucleus, and in this process, an excess amount of energy is produced. This is basically how stars produce their energy, by fusing elements, such as Hydrogen to produce Helium. Take our Sun for example, in the Sun’s core, four hydrogen atoms are fused into a helium atom. During the process, some of the mass is converted into energy. Although the amount of energy released per conversion is very tiny, when you have a really large number of interactions then these tiny amounts of energy start adding up.

Thermonuclear Weapons

Up until December of 2022, the only way we, humans, have been able to produce nuclear fusion is through thermonuclear bombs. The first ever thermonuclear bomb was detonated on November 1, 1952, over 70 years ago. But up until now, we haven’t been able to “control” nuclear fusion. You see, with nuclear fusion and nuclear fission reactions, things do get out of control very easily, and this is why we have only been to use these reactions as bombs.

Scientists have been trying for decades to conduct a controlled nuclear fusion reaction that gives net positive energy, that is, the amount of energy that this reaction produces is greater than the amount of energy that is required to cause the reaction in the first place. Do you see where this is going? If we can do that, we can repeat this process and scale it up to have an unlimited amount of energy.

There is a joke among physicists that nuclear fusion is only 5 to 10 years in the future. In fact, I do recall such a joke being said over lunch back in 2012 when I was working at the Institute for Defense Analyses as a Research Staff Member. And to be honest, I never thought I will witness the day in which humanity will achieve successful nuclear fusion, but I guess I was wrong.

On December 13, 2022

the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced the achievement of fusion ignition at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). This was described as “A major scientific breakthrough decades in the making that will pave the way for advancements in national defense and the future of clean power.”

As we have mentioned earlier, THE key challenge in nuclear fusion research is basically the control of the fusion process. This is where AI comes in. AI algorithms are being used to analyze data from fusion reactions and identify patterns and trends that can help researchers understand and improve the fusion process. AI is also used to control and optimize the conditions inside of a fusion reactor, such as temperature, pressure, and plasma confinement, all to maintain a stable fusion reaction.

One notable example of the use of AI in nuclear fusion research

is the use of ML algs to optimize plasma confinement in the Joint European Torus (JET) fusion experiment. The JET experiment is a collaboration between the European Commission and a consortium of research institutes and universities around the world, and it happens to be the largest experimental fusion facility in the world. Scientists at JET used ML algorithms to analyze data from the experiment and identify patterns that could be used to optimize plasma confinement, resulting in a significant improvement in the stability and performance of the fusion reaction.

Another example is the use of AI in the development of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a collaboration between 35 countries that are working to build a prototype fusion power plant. Scientists at ITER are using AI to analyze data from the experiment and optimize the control of the fusion process. Scientists are hoping that this help to significantly improve the efficiency and performance of the fusion reaction, bringing us closer to the goal of practical fusion energy.

Potential Future Uses of AI in Nuclear Fusion

As in any other field, the potential use cases for AI and ML are endless. Here we list a few examples of potential use cases for AI and ML in the field of Nuclear Fusion.

Modeling and simulation:

One major use of AI could be in the modeling and simulation of nuclear fusion reactions. AI can be used to build models and run simulations of nuclear fusion reactions and the conditions inside the fusion reactor. Scientists could use these simulations to study and better understand the fusion process and to optimize the operations of fusion reactors.

Control and optimization:

another potential use case of AI in Nuclear Fusion is to control and optimize the conditions inside a fusion reactor, such as the temperature, pressure, and plasma confinement. This could be done to help maintain a stable fusion reaction. One way to do this would be to use machine learning algorithms to analyze data from the fusion reaction and make adjustments to the reactor in real-time to optimize performance.

Safety and emergency response:

AI can be used to monitor the conditions inside a fusion reactor and detect any potential safety hazards or emergencies. This can include detecting abnormal conditions and alerting operators or even taking automatic actions to shut down the reactor if necessary.

Overall, the use of AI in nuclear fusion research and control is a promising development that has the potential to significantly advance the field and bring us closer to the goal of harnessing the power of nuclear fusion for energy generation. With further advancements in R&D, we are likely to see greater advances in the use of AI in nuclear fusion in the coming years.

So that was the The Role of AI in Harnessing the Ultimate Energy Source

References:

• https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-national-laboratory-makes-history-achieving-fusion-ignition
• Joint European Torus (JET) fusion experiment: https://www.iter.org/jet
• International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER): https://www.iter.org/

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