- A world first for a private fusion energy company
- A spherical tokamak incorporating HTS magnets now
planned
OXFORD, England, March 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tokamak Energy has
demonstrated a world-first with its privately-funded ST40 spherical
tokamak, achieving a plasma temperature of 100 million degrees
Celsius, the threshold required for commercial fusion
energy.
This is by far the highest temperature ever achieved in a
spherical tokamak and by any privately funded tokamak. While
several government laboratories have reported plasma temperatures
above 100M degrees in conventional
tokamaks, this milestone has been achieved in just five years, for
a cost of less than £50m ($70m), in a
much more compact fusion device. This achievement further
substantiates spherical tokamaks as the optimal route to the
delivery of clean, secure, low cost, scalable and globally
deployable commercial fusion energy.
With over 25 diagnostic tools in the ST40 and utilising the
latest advanced measurement technologies, the 100M temperature result has been verified by an
independent advisory board consisting of international experts.
Tokamak Energy plans to share these significant results with the
scientific community.
Chris Kelsall, CEO of Tokamak
Energy said:
"We are proud to have achieved this breakthrough which puts
us one step closer to providing the world with a new, secure and
carbon-free energy source. When combined with HTS magnets,
spherical tokamaks represent the optimal route to achieving clean
and low-cost commercial fusion energy. Our next device will combine
these two world leading technologies for the first time and
is central to our mission to deliver low-cost energy with
compact fusion modules."
The ST40 device will now undergo an upgrade and be used to
develop technologies for future devices. The ST-HTS, which
will be the world's first spherical tokamak to demonstrate the full
potential of high temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets, is due
to be commissioned in the mid-2020s. This device will demonstrate
multiple advanced technologies required for fusion energy and
inform the design of a world first fusion pilot plant, to be
commissioned in the early 2030s.
The company is also manufacturing a complete HTS magnet system,
which will be the first validation of strong magnetic fields with
HTS coils in a spherical tokamak.
Kwasi Kwarteng, Secretary of
State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said:
"Fusion energy could be the ultimate power of the future –
low carbon, safe and sustainable – and this is another crucial step
towards it. I congratulate all of those who contributed to this
important milestone."
"The Government's fusion strategy, published last year, is
designed to support companies like Tokamak Energy to make fusion
energy a reality. I look forward to further milestones in the
months and years ahead."
Notes to Editors
Tokamaks use magnets to contain a plasma so that it can reach
the high temperatures at which fusion occurs. High magnetic
fields are necessary for tokamaks to contain the superheated fuel,
and higher magnetic fields enable a smaller, lower cost
tokamak.
About Tokamak Energy
Tokamak Energy is a leading global commercial fusion energy
company based near Oxford,
UK. The company is developing the fusion power plant of
tomorrow while commercialising the technology applications of
today.
Tokamak Energy is pursuing fusion through the combined
development of spherical tokamaks, with high temperature
superconducting (HTS) magnets.
The company, founded in 2009 as a spin-off from the Culham
Centre for Fusion Energy, currently employs a growing team of
over 180 people with talent from the UK and experts from around the
world. It combines world leading scientific, engineering,
industrial and commercial capabilities. The company has
more than 55 families of patent applications and has raised
over £100m of private investment.
Once realised, fusion energy will be clean, low cost, and
globally deployable – a key enabler for meeting world energy
requirements and climate policy goals.
www.tokamakenergy.co.uk
Contact
Email: media@tokamakenergy.co.uk
Logo:
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1439316/Tokamak_Energy_Logo.jpg