David C. Pace
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fusion.energy
David C. Pace
@fusion.energy
Deputy Director, DIII-D National Fusion Facility
https://d3dfusion.org
At d3dfusion.org we inject microwaves (100 - 200 GHz) to heat and drive current in our fusion plasmas. We've just unboxed our newest 1 MW microwave unit, a gyrotron named Zapdos, and are excited to bring it online. This unit will extend our plasma parameter range deeper into reactor territory. 🧪
November 2, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Best way to control a fusion plasma is likely combining external actuators & internal plasma behaviors. Fusion plasmas produce waves and modes that affect particle & energy transport across the device. The more the plasma self-regulates, the less effort (cost) needs to come from external control. 🧪
October 31, 2025 at 8:10 PM
d3dfusion.org announces the call for experimental proposals for the next Research Campaign.

Whether you are working in plasma science, engineering, computing and data science, or anything else in fusion energy, we are here to help you discover & advance.

Learn more: d3dfusion.org/rof/ 🧪
October 29, 2025 at 5:08 PM
We were all very excited to see the digital twin of d3dfusion.org in Jensen Huang's keynote at NVIDIA GTC today!

The dream of running high-fidelity simulations of entire, hugely complex, experiments with fast turnaround is coming true. 🧪
World's First Interactive AI-Enabled Fusion Reactor Digital Twin
YouTube video by NVIDIA
www.youtube.com
October 29, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Researchers from d3dfusion.org demonstrate a new controller for the electron temperature profile. This controller integrates many measurements and actuators to achieve the targeted values across the plasma. 🧪⚛️

S. Morosohk, et al., Nuclear Fusion 65, 106031 (2025), iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
October 26, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Reposted by David C. Pace
Are you studying a STEM subject in Germany and can you imagine working on the development of a fusion power plant in the future? Then apply here: info.bmftr-fusionsforschung.de/-lp/8PD60325...
October 20, 2025 at 12:01 PM
The fusion energy development roadmap has just been released by the US Department of Energy. You'll see increasing strategic emphasis placed on public-private partnerships as a mechanism to accelerate commercialization.

www.energy.gov/sites/defaul...
October 17, 2025 at 6:25 AM
The San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation has released a report, "Catalyzing California's Fusion Advantage: Roadmap to Commercialization," and it's a must read for those seeking to build a fusion energy economy in California.

See the full report at fusionca.org
October 13, 2025 at 7:46 PM
We need a plasma scenario that produces tremendous energy output without melting the walls of the fusion reactor. Experiments at d3dfusion.org show promise for the negative triangularity scenario. Modeling identifies the adjustments that might make this a real solution. 🧪⚛️

doi.org/10.1088/1361...
October 11, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Public webinar on exhaust power handling in fusion energy devices. The Stage 2 Divertor project at d3dfusion.org seeks to build a unique wall configuration that will answer questions about how to optimize exhaust control in tokamaks.

Register through Zoom, fusion.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

⚛️🧪
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Reducing Plasma-facing Material Requirements and Advancing Core-edge Integration using a Closed Divertor with Mid-leg Pumping. After registering, you will r...
This webinar is intended for the fusion energy research and industry community, and will be presented at the post-graduate level. The webinar is open to the public, subject to attendance limits. The ...
fusion.zoom.us
September 12, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Two years ago this month, the DIII-D National Fusion Facility opened up a new method by which any organization could join the Research Team. That effort has resulted in a very successful expansion of DIII-D engagement with industry for which I want to express some gratitude today.
April 2, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Reposted by David C. Pace
ITER International School: scientific program announced

Sign up before 1 April 2025 for this year's ITER International School on the topic of "Integrated Modelling in Magnetic Fusion Plasmas." The school will take place in Aix-en-Provence, France, from 30 June to 4 July 2025. 👇

🔗
ITER International School: scientific program announced
Sign up before 1 April 2025 for this year's ITER International School on the topic of "Integrated Modelling in Magnetic Fusion Plasmas." The school will take place in Aix-en-Provence, France, from 30…
buff.ly
March 12, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Plasma science determines many characteristics of fusion energy reactors. Instabilities in the plasma edge correlate to the power exhaust reaching the walls. This exhaust can be expelled in highly concentrated regions, setting challenging requirements for materials.
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
🧪⚛️
March 9, 2025 at 9:47 PM
The negative triangularity plasma scenario is shaking up fusion energy research due to its high performance and ability to significantly reduce the engineering requirements for a reactor. New research shows how to optimize this scenario.

doi.org/10.1088/1361...

#fusionenergy #science
March 2, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Gratitude to @fusionindustry.bsky.social (FIA) for hosting a great Annual Policy Conference! I took pride introducing the DIII-D National Fusion Facility and announcing that eight FIA member organizations are DIII-D users conducting fundamental R&D at the facility.

#fusionenergy #policy #energy
March 1, 2025 at 9:15 PM
To make fusion energy, negative triangularity directs power exhaust into a region with lower magnetic field, causing power to spread more broadly along the wall. This would reduce engineering requirements for the plasma facing wall material in a reactor.
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy
February 22, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Talks from the symposium of Fusion Power Associates are available. You might find it interesting to read these perspectives from different fusion energy research teams, firefusionpower.org/fpa_annual_m...

Or skip straight to the DIII-D talk! firefusionpower.org/FPA24_5-3_Pa...

#fusionenergy
February 20, 2025 at 5:02 PM
I'll be at the FIA Policy Conference next week to discuss all the ways that the DIII-D National Fusion Facility can support the fundamental research and development needs of the fusion energy industry. Teamwork makes the dream work 😀

www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-annual-c...

#fusionenergy
February 18, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Minimizing interactions between fusion plasmas and device walls in fusion energy reactors is essential. A single point of boron injection can be sufficient to cover the entire targeted surface, a huge simplification for using this technique in reactors.
#fusionenergy #science
doi.org/10.1016/j.nm...
February 15, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Last month I participated in a panel at TechCon SoCal called, "Powering the Future: The Strategic Importance of Energy Advancements."
Commercializing fusion energy requires the participation of clever startups and broad industry in order to get it done.
#fusionenergy #techconsocal #techconsocal2025
Panel Discussion: Powering the Future: The Strategic Importance of Energy Advancements
YouTube video by TechCon SoCal TV
www.youtube.com
February 12, 2025 at 5:53 PM
DIII-D's first Fusion Materials Industry day brings together 3 companies that will cooperatively utilize a run day at DIII-D to advance their technologies.

Tokamak Energy: advanced tungsten materials

Avalanche Energy: MPEAs, ceramics

Thea Energy: pebble-rod tech

#fusionenergy #science #teamwork
February 8, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Great to see interest in fusion energy at the local level as San Diego's @kpbssandiego.bsky.social toured the DIII-D National Fusion Facility. The video segment below serves as an introduction to the concept of fusion energy. Now we need to bring them back for an experiment!
#fusionenergy #science
General Atomics sees an end to the long road toward nuclear fusion
YouTube video by KPBS Public Media
youtu.be
February 1, 2025 at 8:15 PM
It was lots of fun to show @kpbssandiego.bsky.social around the DIII-D National Fusion Facility and get to talk about all the great developments in fusion energy. See the written story here and get ready for the video feature soon!

www.kpbs.org/news/local/2...

#fusionenergy #science
General Atomics sees an end to the long road toward nuclear fusion
The clean energy source we’ve been pursuing for decades is advancing with 200,000 “plasma shots” at General Atomics in San Diego, and the creation of an international fusion facility in France.
www.kpbs.org
January 31, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Fusion #energy is a tough puzzle. This publication provides an overview of the DIII-D National Fusion Facility. DIII-D advances fusion energy through research on materials, data science, plasma physics, reactor operations and control, #technology, and more.
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy
January 22, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Relativistic (runaway) electron beams have the potential to cause serious damage in fusion reactors. A team used DIII-D to create controlled beams and then measured their behavior multiple ways, thereby improving our understanding of the dynamics.
dx.doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy #technology
January 16, 2025 at 10:54 PM