Case Study: General Atomics advances nuclear fusion research with COMSOL Multiphysics

General Atomics designs 1 MW helicon antenna with Comsol for DIII-D fusion research

Engineers at General Atomics faced the challenge of designing and validating components for their DIII-D tokamak, a complex nuclear fusion research device. They needed to optimize external systems, like vacuum pumps and a novel high-power helicon antenna, against strong magnetic fields and extreme heat without risking costly damage to the machine during testing. To achieve this, they turned to multiphysics simulation using the COMSOL Multiphysics® software.

By using COMSOL software, the team at General Atomics could accurately model complex geometries and multiphysics interactions, such as electromagnetic forces and heat transfer. This enabled them to test materials and component placements virtually, leading to an optimized hybrid-material helicon antenna design and better positioning of sensitive equipment. The solution provided highly accurate results, replaced time-intensive methods, and built confidence that the systems would perform reliably, advancing their research toward practical nuclear fusion energy.

General Atomics