Scientists at Durham University have successfully completed one of the largest validation programs ever implemented on superconducting materials, marking a key milestone in the ITER reactor. This is the world’s largest experiment in fusion energy.
Their extensive research not only confirmed the quality of superconducting wires essential to Iter’s giant magnets, but also advanced the methods used to test them.
By refinement of how these materials are validated, researchers have laid the foundation for a more reliable path to achieving practical integration capabilities.
What is fusion energy?
Fusion energy is often referred to as the “Holy Grail” of beautiful power. Unlike today’s nuclear fission, which divides atoms in nuclear power plants, fusions combine photonuclei (usually hydrogen isotopes) with heavier objects, releasing enormous amounts of energy in the process.
This is the same reaction that extreme pressure and temperature moves the sun, where hydrogen atoms fuse into helium. When used on Earth, fusion can provide:
Virtually infinite energy from rich fuels like deuterium can be extracted from seawater. Zero carbon emissions are the basis for climate change solutions. Minimum radioactive waste without the long life risk associated with traditional nuclear power generation.
In short, Fusion Energy represents a game-changing technology that can provide safe and sustainable electricity for generations.
iter: A mega project to harness the power of the sun
Currently being built in southern France, the Iter (International Thermonuclear Test Reactor) is the largest and most ambitious fusion experiment in history. Once completed, it aims to demonstrate sustained fusion on a scale that has never been achieved before.
Iter Reactor traps plasma, a super humid, charged gas, at its center, at temperatures above the solar core.
To achieve this, the machine relies on a huge superconducting magnet that can produce some of the most powerful stable magnetic fields ever created.
These magnets are as reliable as the internal superconducting wires, and verifying their performance is a critical step towards Iter’s success.
The role of Durham University in Iter’s magnet system.
In 2011, Durham University was chosen to become one of ITER’s official European reference labs.
The team led by Professor Damien Hampshire and Dr. Mark Lane was tasked with developing a special method for testing superconducting wires made from Niobium Chin (NB₃SN) and Niobium Titanium (NB – TI).
Over a decade of research, the team processed:
5,500 wire samples processed and tested. 13,000 individual measurements were performed. Heat treatments above 650°C prepare NB₃SN wires before testing.
The results provided unprecedented insight into both material performance and testing reliability, ensuring that each chain meets the stringent standards required for a rigorous ITER environment.
Testing method breakthrough
One of the most important results of this project was the statistical approach to verifying NB₃SN wires. This will change permanently during testing.
Durham scientists have demonstrated that measurements from adjacent chains in various laboratories serve as accurate alternatives, ensuring both cost-effectiveness and consistency.
This breakthrough not only increases confidence in Iter’s magnetic system, but also sets new benchmarks on how to test superconducting materials around the world.
Global race for fusion power
Durham’s work arrives when the momentum of fusion energy is accelerating globally.
Iter targets its first plasma in 2035, but private companies are pushing for a commercial breakthrough even faster.
Helion Energy already has a contract with Microsoft and will be powered by Fusion Plant by 2028. Google-backed Commonwealth Fusion Systems secured pre-orders for a 200 megawatt fusion power in the 2030s. The UK government has pledged £2.5 billion to fusion research and is developing its own prototype reactor, Step, at the former coal site in Nottinghamshire.
This growing international investment highlights the competition that makes fusion a commercial reality.
Next-generation training
Durham’s contribution to ITER reactors goes beyond research. The university is also a lead partner at the UK’s PhD training centre for Integrated Powers, providing young scientists and engineers with the skills they need to shape the future of energy.
By combining superconducting wires with groundbreaking verification of education and innovation, Durham University not only supports ITER reactors, but also strengthens its global efforts to turn fusion into a reliable, clean power source.
Steps close to endless clean energy
The successful completion of this vast verification program is more than a technical achievement.
This represents a step towards unlocking Fusion Energy’s promises. It is safe, rich, carbon-free electricity.
As Iter approaches operational, the foundations laid out by Durham University scientists ensure that the future of its powerful magnets and fusion itself is on the ground.
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