Fusion energy has great potential to deliver safe, sustainable, low carbon energy for generations to come. It is based on the same processes that power the Sun and stars, and would form part of the world’s future energy mix. Achieving this is a major technical challenge that involves working at the forefront of science, engineering, and technology.
The University has been selected for its expertise in fuel cycle materials to help investigate certain properties of lithium, which is essential to fuel fusion enterprises.
The Projects:
CENTRAL centrifugation applied to lithium isotope enrichment project
Fusion energy needs isotopically refined lithium as an important fuel precursor as without it available in relatively large quantities, fusion power cannot become a global reality. The University, supported by Urenco, is proposing to modify and adapt existing centrifugation technologies for the purpose of isotopic enrichment of lithium.
LIBRA - Lithium Breeder Advancement through materials manufacture
Fusion energy needs to be self-sufficient and be able to produce its own tritium fuel to be successful in the future. This fuel will be produced by the neutron irradiation of lithium-6 deuteride (6LiD) , a stable isotope of lithium that upon interaction with a neutron, fissions into tritium. In this project, the University of Bristol proposes to thoroughly examine the feasibility of using lithium-6 deuteride (6LiD) as a tritium breeding material for nuclear fusion applications.
Lithium Enrichment Prototype Project (LEPDOS)
Combining technical leadership from Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd and the University of Bristol, this initiative aims to unlock innovative plasma-based technologies capable of meeting the enriched lithium needs of the UK and international fusion pilotplant generation.
UKAEA launched the new Fusion Industry Programme challenge ‘Realising the potential of lithium in an economic, sustainable and scalable fusion energy fuel-cycle’ in early 2023, encouraging organisations to develop and evaluate prototypes of lithium technology.
A total of four universities and one company have received contracts ranging between £700,000 and £1.5m from UKAEA’s ‘Fusion Industry Programme’.
Tom Scott, Professor of Materials at the University’s School of Physics, said: “We are extremely pleased to have such as substantial involvement with this wave of the Fusion Industry Programme.
“We see the fuel cycle for future fusion power stations as a superb innovation opportunity for the UK.
“If we have substantial control over the fuel cycle then our country will stand to benefit substantially from high value jobs and exports.
“Bristol is a leader in the development of fuel cycle materials and technologies and we’re pleased to be working with a plethora of exciting companies that bring expertise and routes to market for our research.”
Tim Bestwick, UKAEA’s Chief Development Officer, said: “Fusion energy continues to feature on the world stage, with recent commitments being made at COP28 to develop fusion as a sustainable, low carbon source of energy for future generations.
“The Fusion Industry Programme is encouraging the development of UK industrial fusion capacity and preparing the UK fusion industry for the future global fusion power plant market.
“The organisations that have been awarded these contracts have successfully demonstrated their lithium technology concepts and will now develop them to the ‘proof of concept’ stage.”
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) is the UK’s national organisation responsible for the research and delivery of sustainable fusion energy. It is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.