The UK Atomic Energy Agency (UKAEA) has awarded contracts to 13 organizations to develop robust sensing technologies for use in future fusion power plants.
Total worth £3.5 million, the 16 contracts – feasibility study from £100,000 to £250,000 – was awarded in 2021 by UKAEA’s Fusion Industry Program, an initiative to develop the technologies and skills needed for future global fusion power plants.
Ten private companies and three academic institutions are developing a variety of sensing and diagnostic techniques for use in extreme environments.
The role of sensing technology in fusion power plants
Fusion power plants operate under complex conditions such as extreme temperatures, high neutron loads, and high magnetic fields.
The development of highly specialized and robust sensing and control technologies that can operate under these extreme conditions is essential to making fused energy a commercially viable part of the world’s energy mix.
New sensing and diagnostic systems are required to measure various data within the fusion power plant, including plasma location and shape, plasma electron density, temperature, and performance of plasma facial components.
The 13 organizations will conduct technical feasibility studies and incorporate sensing and diagnostic techniques into the “proof of concept” stage with the support of the Fusion Industry Program.
Professional support from the Fusion Industry program
In the first program of the Fusion Industry program, Expert Fusion Industry Support is provided by technical advisors from both Ukaea and Tokamak Energy Ltd.
Experts at Ukaea and Tokamak Energy provide technical advice on conditions encountered in a fusion environment to inform the design and development of sensing and diagnostic techniques.
Tim Bestwick, UKAEA’s Chief Technology Officer and Deputy CEO, explained: “Fusion promises to be a safe and sustainable energy source for future generations. However, providing fusion means overcoming complex scientific and engineering challenges, such as developing strict sensors that can withstand the harsh environments of fusion power plants.
“The Fusion Industry Program will help us to solve these challenges while encouraging private companies and academia and stimulating innovations that can boost neighboring sectors.”
Which projects received funding?
Here is the complete list of organizations awarded with the contract and their project titles:
3 – Sci Ltd: High magnetic field, high temperature, radiation-resistant distributed magnetic sensing feasibility Amentum Clean Energy Ltd: Determining hydrogen isotopes of liquid lithium First Light Fusion Ltd: Prototyping of prototypes for multipurpose photon Doppler velocity measurement (PDV) systems Shock Movement Fraunhofer UK Research Ltd: LED-based Raman spectroscopy analyzer for tritium and deuterium concentration measurements. Zeeman Magnetometry in Plasma Diagnosis (Zeemap); Pulse-phase-sensitive dual-dual spectrometer Full Matrix Ltd for plasma density measurement: a feasibility study for the interpretation of ultrasound-guided waves in witness specimens for remote fusion diagnosis. IDOM UK Ltd: AI-driven restoration and monitoring framework for plasma mirrors in fusion diagnostics Kyoto Fusionereering UK Ltd: Exploration research for the development of tritium concentration sensors in liquid lithium applications Oxford Sigma Ltd: Project Prism – innovative surface performance and resilience of mirrors. The project is the development of Raman spectroscopy system for online monitoring at the University of Edinburgh, Lithium Metal-based breeding blanket (real-time and environmental equipment diagnostic passive and analysis) University: University of Plasma Interferometry for Terahertz Quantum Cascade Laser
Technologies, ideas and solutions for future fusion development
“We are committed to providing a wide range of diagnostics, data and controls at Tokamak Energy,” said Joanne Flanagan.
“Measurement systems and components need to be extremely robust to operate in extreme fusion power plant environments. That’s why we need to explore a wide range of technologies, ideas and solutions.”
She concluded: “This challenge is designed to stimulate the innovation needed to address this development, bringing us a step closer to our goal of providing clean, safe, affordable fusion energy.”
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