Award to Jacobs under UKAEA’s Fusion Industry Programme
16/02/2024
The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has increased its funding for Jacobs’ research into lithium, a key ingredient for fusion power reactors.
Under its Fusion Industry Programme, UKAEA has awarded £1.46 million for Phase 2 of the project to extend the liquid lithium testing facility at Jacobs’ Technology & Innovation Centre at Birchwood Park in Warrington, UK.
It was one of 18 projects that received initial Phase 1 funding at the end of 2022 and has now been selected among a handful of these to progress to Phase 2.
Ryan Morris, Jacobs Managing Consultant, said: “Based on the work we did under Phase 1, UKAEA has recognised why a facility like this is needed. Our research aims to fill many knowledge gaps surrounding the properties of lithium, an alkali metal critical for breeding the hydrogen isotope tritium, an essential fuel for fusion reactors. Its use presents several challenges though, including material compatibility and interactions of lithium with tritium.
“We will continue to develop our ability to handle lithium safely and we will also be able to test materials for fusion reactors at high temperatures and with known impurities. The facility and associated know-how will provide important groundwork for future projects, including fusion reactor design, and will be a new and exciting capability for us at Birchwood Park, complementing existing fusion capabilities.”
Phase 2 will involve the acquisition of a new glovebox, a lithium purification system and a series of new test vessels and includes testing of materials under fusion-relevant conditions.
The UKAEA funding programme is designed to tackle specific challenges linked to the commercialisation of fusion energy, from novel materials and manufacturing techniques through to innovative heating and cooling systems.
