h/t Registration; President Biden recently urged the DOE to produce commercially viable nuclear fusion by 2032. So the DOE is giving money to AI researchers, in the hope that the miracle of AI can help make the miracle of nuclear fusion a reality.
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IN BRIEF
DOE SC Program in Fusion Energy Science (FES) announces its interest in applications in the fields of Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Resources for Energy fusion and plasma science. The goal of this FOA is to support multidisciplinary teams to apply advanced and autonomous algorithms to address high-priority research opportunities in the FES program. Candidates are encouraged to propose research in new systems for managing, formatting, managing and accessing experimental and simulation data, made available in a publicly available database. Of high programmatic importance are the methods that support the realization of a fusion pilot plant in decimal time.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Program Objectives
The mission of FES is to expand the fundamental understanding of matter at very high temperatures and densities, and to build the scientific basis needed to develop a fusion energy source. This is done through the study of plasma, the fourth state of matter and how it interacts with its surroundings. 2018 Report of the Fusion Energy Science Advisory Committee (FESAC) on “Transformation-Enabled Possibility (TEC) for Effective Progress towards Fusion Energy” [1] covers the areas of machine learning, artificial intelligence and mathematical control, as part of the TEC proposal “Advanced Algorithms” Level 1. In fusion energy research, AI/ML impacts problems Main research topics from applications that require fast speed
fusion data processing for active plasma control for exascale applications that utilize high-performance computing resources to simulate multi-scale processes impacting plasma fusion.
Realizing the potential of AI/ML and data science, FES and ASCR co-sponsored a community workshop in 2019 to identify areas in the general sciences where AI/ML applications could have implications. transformative impact and to identify unique needs, research opportunities and related activities. The gap can be addressed through targeted partnerships. last report [2] identifies a number of high-priority research opportunities covering the DOE’s congressional mandated mission space in fusion energy and plasma science. In 2020, FES supported a wide range of research activities in the areas identified in the report. This FOA further encourages applications in previously supported areas while expanding the range of activities supported.
The DOE recently initiated an agency-wide activity to accelerate fusion energy research, development, and demonstration activities to realize a relevant fusion pilot plant (FPP). commercially within the decade time frame, an effort known as the Bold Decade Vision (BDV). This follows the 2021 National Academies report “Bringing Integration to the US Grid”, which describes the innovations and requirements required for an FPP. [3]. A key component of BDV is a new milestone-based fusion development program, authorized in the Energy Act 2020, that aims to accelerate fusion energy RD&D in partnership with Private area [4]. The milestone-based program includes a range of FPP design activities. These FOA-supported efforts can play a supporting role in these and other SC/FES programs by providing broad access to curated experimental data and analysis based on on theory/modelling.
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Read more: https://science.osti.gov/fes/-/media/grants/pdf/foas/2023/SC_FOA_0002905.pdf
The DOE has been doing a lot of work with Googletrain their deeply intellectual AI to learn what interventions are needed to keep plasma fusion stable in tokamak reactors.
AI is very good at solving certain types of optimization problems, especially when there is a good model available for the AI to use to evaluate its own skills.
Optimizing the laser configuration for an inertial confinement fusion reactor, or the magnet arrangement for a tokamak or stellarator, are problems that can be solved by AI.
But DOE has tried this and still has not resolved the issue. So they want to talk to someone who can give them new ideas, someone who can give them hope to develop AI with capabilities beyond anything they’ve tried so far.
In the face of pressure from President Biden to produce results, I suspect there will be more than $33 million offered, if anyone comes up with a credible idea they haven’t heard of or haven’t seen. ever tried.
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