Breakthrough in efficient powering of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets
Tests using new cryogenic power electronics show double the efficiency of previous systems
OXFORD, England, Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tokamak Energy is announcing today the breakthrough design of cryogenic, or very low temperature, power electronics technology for the high-efficiency operation of its superconducting magnets. This will result in reduced costs of future fusion power plants – which is key to commercialising and scaling the technology.
The power electronics team at Tokamak Energy has developed a novel power converter inside a vacuum cryostat. Successful tests completed last month have demonstrated a 50% reduction in the power required for cooling HTS magnets.
The superconducting magnets are used in tokamak fusion reactors to contain and isolate plasma, so that it can reach the high temperatures at which fusion occurs. One of the main challenges for the magnets is the cryogenic cooling system, which is one of the biggest power consumption loads on a tokamak. Improving cooling efficiency will reduce costs for future fusion power plants.
This programme has been funded through the UK Government's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) Feasibility and Development Phase 2 programme.
Chris Kelsall, CEO of Tokamak Energy, said:
"We have now invented a new type of cryogenic power supply, based on the latest power electronics devices, that is highly efficient at low temperatures. This means we have the potential to reduce cryogenic capital and running costs for HTS magnets, by 50%, or more. This novel approach will provide significant cost savings, contributing to the achievement of commercial fusion energy."
Further developmental work will be undertaken to demonstrate this highly efficient form of power supply under 1000A continuous operation and 2000A pulsed operations.
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 tech applications of today.
Tokamak Energy is pursuing fusion through the combined development of spherical tokamaks along with high temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets.
In the ST-40 fusion prototype, Tokamak Energy has developed the most advanced compact spherical tokamak in the world – a key enabler of commercial fusion. Plans are underway for the ST-40 to operate at 100m degree plasma in 2021, which will be a key milestone for commercial fusion and the first privately funded fusion module to reach this landmark globally.
Tokamak Energy received five US Department of Energy grants in 2020, creating partnerships with leading expertise in the US National Laboratory System. The company is partnering with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory to develop the ST-40. It has also received a £10m grant from the UK Government as part of investment under the Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) programme.
Tokamak Energy is working with CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, on high temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets in developing a proprietary technology that will scale to the large magnets necessary for fusion power modules. HTS magnets also have applications for particle accelerators, aerospace and for several other industrial sectors.
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 50 families of patent applications and has raised over £100m of private investment.
Once realised, fusion energy will be clean, economic, and globally deployable – a key enabler for meeting international climate policy goals.
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