Surrey to evaluate weld integrity of fusion plant steel

The Surrey research team said it will use its expertise to upgrade stress measurement techniques that can allow scientists to map the residual pressure within a volume of steel, rather than in single points. The work is being carried out in an international collaboration with partners that include the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s fusion research centre in Culham, and STFC’s ISIS Neutron and Muon Source.

In a statement, research leader Dr Tan Sui, senior lecturer in Materials Engineering at Surrey University, said: “Developing techniques and introducing new approaches to UK research is essential if we’re to move towards energy generated through fusion, which could be a key part of the world’s long-term energy needs by the second half of this century.

"Our next step is to process the data acquired through these processes into a simulation model which will enable us to accurately predict the residual stress on EUROFER 97 steel joints after welding.”