Kyoto fusioneering: Supply for British fusion power generation: UKAEA
-Supply “Gyrotron” for fusion power generation by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Agency (UKAEA)-
Startup from Kyoto University
Kyoto fusioneering
Kyoto Fusioneering will supply parts for fusion reactors to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Corporation (UKAEA).
The number of orders is two, and it is scheduled to be delivered by 2023.
The order amount is not disclosed, but it is said that one piece is on the scale of hundreds of millions of yen.
Through the demonstration scheduled in the future, it will lead to the acquisition of orders for parts for commercial furnaces.
Fusion power generation:
Fusion power generation is a system that reproduces the energy motion of the sun.
Deuterium and tritium are collided in a plasma state, and the generated heat is used to generate electricity.
When generating electricity, it can generate electricity without emitting CO2.
In addition to the international project “ITER”, each country is accelerating research and development.
Supplying “Gyrotron”:
KF supplies parts called “gyrotrons”.
High-power microwave,
Oscillate toward the fusion reactor
Causes the plasma state required for the reaction.
It is said that this is the first time in Japan that an order for a gyrotron from overseas has been received.
What is Kyoto Fusionier Ring?
KF is a global authority on fusion research.
It was founded in 2019 by Professor Tetsuyuki Konishi of Kyoto University.
It came out in the nuclear fusion reaction,
A blanket that takes out heat,
Divertors that discharge impurities, etc.
Manufactures parts for fusion reactors.
Contract with UKAEA in the UK:
KF has a contract with UKAEA for a commercial fusion power plant construction project.
Solidify the basic design by 2024.
The plan is to start operation by 2040.
KF will participate in the design of the fusion reactor.
New switch
Press Release – UKAEA Gyrotrons for MAST-U
November 2, 2021
Kyoto Fusioneering Awarded UKAEA Contract to Provide Dual Frequency Gyrotrons for MAST Upgrade Spherical Tokamak Experiment
Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd
– a fusion technology company based in Kyoto, Japan –
has been awarded a contract to provide fusion reactor technology to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).
Under the contract,
Kyoto Fusioneering will provide dual frequency microwave heating sources (gyrotrons) for MAST Upgrade (Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak),
based at Culham, near Oxford, UK.
A key aim of MAST Upgrade
– the UK’s national fusion experiment –
is to inform the design of future power plants by testing technology and addressing physics issues.
Kyoto Fusioneering will provide
world-leading gyrotron technology and technical expertise from Japan to support a key aspect of UKAEA’s mission.
Kyoto Fusioneering’s
Gyrotron Division Director,
Dr Keishi Sakamoto, said:
Japan has been a leader in the development of gyrotron systems worldwide for more than 30 years,
and we are very pleased to be taking this research and development and delivering to UKAEA to support their mission towards commercial fusion.
Our next step is to develop for higher performance to lead the world in gyrotron development.
Kyoto Fusioneering’s gyrotrons
will be installed on MAST Upgrade by 2023, to be used in the next phase of its operations.
Use of these gyrotrons on MAST Upgrade is also relevant to UKAEA’s STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) initiative.
STEP – the UK’s flagship programme to design and build a prototype fusion power plant –
will use the data and experience from the plasma heating provided by Kyoto Fusioneering’s gyrotrons on MAST Upgrade to support its design and development.