Tokamak Energy to put materials through rigours of fusion conditions

Tokamak Energy Inc has been awarded Department of Energy funding through the Innovation Network for Fusion Energy (INFUSE) programme that will help inform the design of future power plants, including Tokamak Energy’s pilot plant ST-E1.

One of the most technically challenging components in a commercial tokamak, which utilises the hydrogen fuel combination of deuterium-tritium, is the ‘breeder blanket’.

Deuterium is abundant in sea water, but tritium is not available naturally. Tokamak Energy said fusion energy power plants will be designed to produce tritium using a breeder blanket to be self-sufficient when operating, adding that a breeder blanket will be a complex assembly.

Identifying the optimal structural material is a major challenge since it must be resilient to high temperatures and remain robust when exposed to high-energy neutrons and chemical coolants. 

In a statement, Jim Pickles, Tokamak Energy’s head of materials, said: “Fusion promises to be a transformative global source of limitless, clean energy. It is crucial that we test and develop the most resilient and suitable materials for the design of future power plants as early as possible.