BIO

Dr. Yufan Xu is an Associate Research Physicist specializing in liquid metal applications for next-gen fusion devices. At PPPL, Dr. Xu leads the development of the Lithium Experimental Application Platform (LEAP) and conducts liquid metal laboratory studies on LMX-U of various divertor designs combined with theoretical and numerical analyses. Dr. Xu has also worked on geophysical and astrophysical turbulence with liquid metal experiments, furthering the understanding of the roles of rotation and magnetic fields in planetary and stellar magnetic field generation processes.

ABSTRACT

Nuclear fusion is the "ultimate" way that powers our Sun and produces safe, clean, and virtually limitless energy. In pursuit of harnessing fusion on the Earth using electromagnetic forces, we have encountered physics and engineering challenges to protect the fusion devices and to stabilize the fusion reactions. Liquid metal, as a key conceptual technology in the movie Terminator 2, has the advantages of removing extreme heat, capturing and recycling fuels, and enhancing the efficiency and stability of the fusion reaction. Integrating liquid metal technologies into the next-gen fusion reactors is a promising step towards delivering fusion power to humanity.