Kyoto Fusioneering (KF) and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to accelerate the development of fusion energy. The two organizations plan to collaborate on the development and demonstration of fuel cycle systems necessary for the safe and stable operation of fusion energy plants. They will also share scientific information, equipment, and technologies, explore additional joint research projects, and exchange personnel to enhance knowledge transfer.
Through their collaboration, KF and CNL aim to leverage their respective expertise and resources to promote demonstrations using necessary equipment and develop innovative solutions that will further advance the field of fusion energy. This may include the use of new testing facilities to support fusion fuel cycle research, which would be located at the Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario, which is managed by CNL. Collaboration will also cover joint research and development discussions on the project details.
KF is a privately funded technology start-up founded in 2019, with its headquarters in Kyoto. The company is focused on developing advanced technologies for commercial fusion reactors. This includes developing advanced and comprehensive fusion fuel cycle systems, which involve separating and circulating hydrogen isotopes, such as deuterium, to fuel fusion power devices. KF recently signed a collaboration agreement with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) to develop fusion related technologies. The first project will involve the development of a ‘fusion-grade’ silicon carbide composite system (SiC/SiC), which can be used as a structural material inside a fusion machine.
CNL, which focuses on fuel cycle systems involving hydrogen isotopes, has extensive experience, technology, and related equipment for their handling and management. CNL is guided by a corporate strategy known as Vision 2030 which seeks to restore and protecting the environment, advance clean energy technologies, and contributing to the health of Canadians.
Overall, the new partnership is designed to provide fusion developers with better access to the necessary testing and demonstration equipment to advance their technologies and maximise their complementary capabilities. Joe McBrearty, CNL’s President & CEO said working together, “we hope to accelerate this promising new technology, by providing fusion vendors with access to the products and services they need to develop, qualify and deploy their technologies”.
Taka Nagao, CEO at Kyoto Fusioneering said KF “is providing solutions for fusion energy based on innovative and unique research from Kyoto University and high quality Japanese industrial technology”. Co-operation with CNL “will provide a very strong and important contribution to the international development of fusion energy, which has the potential to solve key energy and environmental problems on this planet,” he added.
A key focus of the partnership will be tests related to tritium. CNL has a long and extensive history in the development of technologies and systems to safely manage tritium, and operates a dedicated, state-of-the-art Tritium Facility at the Chalk River Laboratories site. Among the advanced technologies that KF is developing for commercial fusion reactors is tritium fuel cycle technologies and breeding blankets for tritium production and power generation.
“CNL is currently exploring plans to establish an internationally-unique fusion fuel cycle and demonstration loop at the Chalk River Laboratories campus,” commented CNL Vice-President of Science & Technology Dr Jeff Griffin. He added that the partnership with KF “could build on this work and contribute to the setup of a demonstration-scale test loop, which would combine elements of Kyoto Fusioneering’s Unique Integrated Testing Facility (UNITY) concept with CNL’s expertise in the fusion fuel cycle.”
