SBRI Competition: Fusions Industry Challenges Cycle 2 Phase 1

This is a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition funded by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). The aim of the competition is to develop solutions to fusion energy challenges in two themes for key priority areas.

1. Driving up fusion power plant performance with innovative heating and cooling systems.

2. Improving fusion power plant availability with novel fusion materials, technology, and manufacture.

This is phase 1 of a potential 2 phase competition. The decision to proceed with phase 2 will depend on the outcomes from phase 1 and assessment of a separate application into a subsequent phase 2 competition.

Only the successful applicants from phase 1 will be invited to apply to take part in phase 2.

A Pre-Commercial Procurement Activity under SBRI

Driving up fusion power plant performance with innovative heating and cooling systems.

Projects can focus on one or more of the following under this theme:

Microwave heating challenges:

high power, long pulse microwave sources with high electrical efficiency (greater than or equal to 55%)

development of special waveguide components, for example, diamond window assemblies, power monitors, expansion units, vacuum pumping access

improvements on the high voltage power supplies (50kV) for reduced voltage ripple in a compact assembly while maintaining high electrical efficiency (greater than or equal to 98%)

development of optical mirrors for evacuation of high thermal loads (approximately 5MW/m2)

high precision optical alignment assemblies for the free space to waveguide coupling

Neutral particle beam heating challenges:

negative ion beam system with high electrical efficiency (greater than 60%)

improved beam neutralisation efficiency, for example, Plasma or Laser Neutralisers

development of residual ion energy recovery.

improved negative ion source efficiency with caesium free operation

reduction in scale; improved ion optics, source uniformity and power handling to reduce size of components

development of actively cooled high heat flux components (approximately 5-10 MW/m2) with reactor relevant materials

development of fault tolerant 1-2MV fast switching power supply systems with high electrical efficiency

development of vacuum pumping systems with pumping speeds of millions of litres per second which allow continuous operation

Reactor high heat flux components:

jet impingement cooling technology transfer

sCO2 as coolant

diamond components for heat dispersion

novel discrete limiter designs, for example, vaporisation layers, speed of maintenance or increased heat flux performance

has context menu Additional information: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/1156/overview#summary