General Atomics (GA) has just revealed a steady-state, compact advanced tokamak Fusion Pilot Plant (FPP) concept. GA says that the FPP design capitalizes on its innovations and advancements in fusion technology.
The GA fusion system creates a plasma with powerful magnets and microwave heating. In steady-state operation, the fusion plasma is maintained for long periods of time. This is done to maximize efficiency, reduce maintenance costs and increase the lifetime of the facility.
GA said that the facility would utilize its proprietary Fusion Synthesis Engine (FUSE). This will enable engineers, physicists, and operators to rapidly perform a broad range of studies and continuously optimize the power plant for maximum efficiency.
GA has also developed an advanced modular concept referred to as GAMBL for the breeding blanket which is a critical component of the fusion power cycle that breeds tritium which is a fusion energy fuel source. This will make the fusion fuel cycle self-sufficient.
According to GA, the FPP will provide baseload energy without any harmful emissions or long-lived waste. GA said that the plant will be “Capable of operating around the clock, commercialized fusion power plants would provide sustainable, carbon-free firm energy for generations.”
Wayne Solomon is the Vice President of Magnetic Fusion Energy at GA. He said, “Our practical approach to a FPP is the culmination of more than six decades of investments in fusion research and development, the experience we have gained from operating the DIII-D National Fusion Facility on behalf of the US Department of Energy (DOE), and the hard work of countless dedicated individuals. This is a truly exciting step towards realizing fusion energy.”
Brian Grierson is the Director of the Fusion Pilot Plant Hub at GA. He said, “General Atomics has a long and storied history of being at the forefront of fusion innovations. We are proud to be a world leader in plasma theory and modeling, advanced materials engineering, and other areas necessary for commercializing fusion. We intend to bring the full strength of our institutional expertise to this effort as we advance our vision for fusion energy.”
DIII-D has been conducting groundbreaking fusion research since the mid-1980 with support for the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) and substantial international collaboration. There are over one hundred participating institutions and a research team of more than six hundred scientists collaborating at DIII-D,
In March of last year, scientists at DIII-D released a new concept for a compact fusion reactor design they said could help define the technology required for commercial fusion power. The Compact Advanced Tokamak (CAT) concept enables a higher-performance, self-sustaining configuration that holds energy more efficiently. This will allow it to be built at a reduced scale and cost. The CAT concept was developed from simulations of a first-of-a-kind reactor. The physics-based approach combines theory developed at the DIII-D facility with computing by Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists using the Cori supercomputer at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center. It is based on development and testing of the underlying physics concept on DIII-D.
In July of this year, GA announced that it was collaborating with the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) to address a critical challenge to the economic fusion energy as part of a public-private partnership funded by the DoE. The partnership will combine GA’s experience in fusion energy research with SRNL’s expertise in processing and storing tritium. Tritium is one of the fuel gases used in fusion.
Anantha Krishnan is Senior Vice President of the General Atomics Energy Group. He said, “Excitement for fusion energy is at an all-time high, with historic interest from private industry and government. We look forward to working with our partners to make our vision for economic fusion energy a reality. Now is the time for fusion, and General Atomics plans to lead the way.”