Pablo Vallejos Olivares

"ITER is the way for clean and safe energy production for millions of years!"

ITER-Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCkp2SEsfao

Short summary:

I am a PhD student at the Fusion Plasma Physics department. My research team works mainly with Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ICRH) in tokamak plasmas. Our focus is theory and modeling of ICRH in the major tokamaks, such as JET and ASDEX-Upgrade. Check these videos for a quick introduction to fusion:

Fusion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4yWhA1mVxA

Fusion Kurzgesagt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZsaaturR6E

My projects:

- Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ICRH) simulations at JET and ASDEX-Upgrade tokamaks. We analyze experimental data from tokamak experiments and perform simulations of different heating schemes using the SELFO code. We calculate distribution functions, evaluate heating performance, study ICRH accelerated fast ions and how they interact with e.g. Toroidal Alfven Eigenmodes (TAE's), estimate neutron yields etc..

- Development of an iterative spectral code to account for spatial dispersive effects.
This new method is based on the Anderson Acceleration iterative scheme and wavelets. The methods includes inhomogeneous effects and first order corrections to the dielectric tensor (developed by D. Smithe). This method has been developed in MATLAB.
I have also developed a new method for modeling RF waves in Maxwellian plasmas in COMSOL Multiphysics. This method can model first and higher harmonic heating, electron Landau Damping and TTMP damping and include FLR effects. One advantage of this new model is the capability to use a very detailed geometrical description in 2D axisymmetry, which includes multiple poloidal antennas, Faraday screen, scrape of layer and divertor (see example below of an ITER simulation).

ITER ICRH simulation example: eplus_iter.png

Absorption profile (log scale): abs_iter.png

Teaching and supervision of projects

- I am a teaching assistance in the course Vector Analysis (ED1110) at KTH since 2014.

- Projects for students. We offer projects in the field of fusion, ICRH, modeling and simulation and electromagnetic wave in plasmas. If you are interested in doing a project, please contact me.

What is ICRH?

Fusion conditions in tokamaks require temperatures of the order of ~15 keV (170 million degrees). ICRH is an established method for heating fusion plasmas. It can provide ion and electron heating, localized current drive and plasma control. Modeling of ICRH is important in order to make correct predictions and interpret results. RF power is usually absorbed at the fundamental resonance for minority ions of at harmonics of majority ion species. The absorbed RF power is then transferred to the bulk plasma through Coulomb collisions.

Past experience:

- MSc in Enginering Physics (Space physics), Uppsala University, Sweden (2004 - 2009)

- Technical Support Engineer at COMSOL AB, Stockholm, Sweden (2009 - 2011)

- Sales and Application Engineer at COMSOL Inc, Burlington MA, USA (2011 - 2013)