Japanese company Kyoto Fusioneering has begun work on a prototype device that could help nuclear fusion companies test one of the key technologies needed to operate future power plants. The company received grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and the State of Tennessee to develop a fuel production device at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and also announced that it would move its U.S. headquarters to the city of Oak Ridge.
The project comes at a time when most attention in the fusion energy sector is focused on the reactors themselves, where atoms combine to release enormous amounts of energy. But operating a reactor for extended periods requires a broad system of supporting equipment, from fuel and cooling systems to equipment capable of handling the heat and materials produced by the reaction.
Testing Fusion Fuel Production Technology
The new device is called Unity-3, and Kyoto Fusioneering is developing it in cooperation with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The device will test a technology known as a breeding blanket, or breeding blanket, a system that surrounds the reaction zone and performs two main functions: capturing the energy produced by fusion and generating new fuel for the reactor.
One design for these blankets uses liquid lithium, which absorbs heat and neutrons. When neutrons collide with lithium atoms, the atoms split into helium and tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that serves as an important fuel in many fusion reactor designs. The tritium is then separated from the blanket and sent back to the reactor, while the heat is extracted for use in generating electricity.
Unity-3 will not be limited to testing liquid lithium. Kyoto Fusioneering said the device will also test a range of other materials used in breeding blankets. This is expected to help researchers and startups practically validate data that has so far been generated largely through computer models.
The Company’s Role in the Fusion Supply Chain
A breeding blanket system requires heat-resistant materials, specially designed pumps, and other specialized equipment. This system represents only one part of a complete fusion power plant, as Kyoto Fusioneering is also developing systems to heat fusion fuel and convert it into plasma, recycle unburned fuel from the exhaust, and extract heat for use in generating electricity.
The company is considered one of the largest specialists among companies operating in the emerging fusion energy technology supply chain. According to FusionX data, Kyoto Fusioneering has raised $121 million in committed capital. A recent study by the Fusion Industry Association also indicated that more than half of fusion companies said they plan to work with external suppliers on fuel-cycle technologies, such as those being developed by Kyoto Fusioneering.
Data for Use in Reactor Designs
Realta Fusion, Thea Energy, Type One Energy, and Xcimer Energy will use data from experiments conducted by Unity-3 in designing their reactors. These companies represent a variety of approaches to developing fusion energy, giving the device’s results significance beyond Kyoto Fusioneering’s own project.
The project’s trajectory is based on the view that testing breeding-blanket materials and technologies in a dedicated device could help companies move from computer estimates to experimental data that can serve as a basis for reactor development. If the technology demonstrates its performance, this could strengthen Kyoto Fusioneering’s position as a potential supplier of fusion plant equipment when these plants are ready to connect to the electricity grid.