Located at its Fusion Technology Facility (FTF) in South Yorkshire, UKAEA has unveiled their latest test rig, ELSA, which uses extreme temperatures to inform engineering and design under fusion-relevant plant conditions.
Like its animated namesake, ELSA produces temperatures on a cryogenic scale between 20 and 70 Kelvin (-253.15 to -203.15 degrees Celsius) to simulate the operating temperatures for the high temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets.
HTS coils are critical to confining and shaping the plasma within a fusion machine, by generating high magnetic fields with very little resistive losses. UKAEA engineers are looking to achieve resistances of one millionth of that found in consumer electronics. Lowering the temperature for the strongest magnetic fields requires the lowest possible energy use, reducing operational costs and supporting the commercialisation of fusion energy.
ELSA is currently testing novel ‘remountable joint’ (RMJ) components which feature extremely low electrical resistance, and will be essential for efficient maintenance of future fusion power plants.
RMJs are part of a fusion machine’s toroidal field coils, which confine the plasma. They are fitted around the magnetic cage of a tokamak to allow rapid access for maintenance during plant operations.
This novel RMJ design forms a critical part of the UK’s STEP Programme, a prototype fusion energy power plant that is to be built in West Burton, North Nottinghamshire, targeting operations for 2040. RMJs are critical for the success of STEP Fusion as they will allow rapid access for maintenance during power plant operations.
The delivery of the STEP Programme itself is the responsibility of UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd (UKIFS), a wholly owned subsidiary of the UKAEA.
UKIFS’s Remountable Joints Engineering Manager, Chris Lamb says:
Remountable joints, and other aspects of High Temperature Superconducting magnet technology require cryogenic facilities like ELSA to test various aspects of the technologies, and are few and far between. Having the ELSA facility come online at the Fusion Technology Facility, on the doorstep of both STEP’s West Burton site and the rich vein of manufacturing capability at the Advanced Manufacturing Park, will be fantastic in helping the engineers get up close and personal with realising these critical HTS technologies.
Professor Matt Stephenson, Head of the UKAEA’s Fusion Technology Facility adds:
Here in South Yorkshire, we are tasked with answering the ‘how?’ in the delivery of commercially viable fusion energy. Our team is working hard to test and provide accurate results that inform us of the optimal environments and materials for durable power plant design. This work also involves looking into the most cost-effective solutions to ensure fusion energy is achieved and maintained sustainably.
A recent report by Amion, on behalf of Local Authorities in the area, estimated that the STEP project would lead to 6,500 jobs on site when the power plant is fully functional – and more during the construction phases, as well as leading to significant infrastructure investment in the wider area for transport and skills. The STEP campus is expected to become a global centre for fusion research and development, working with local education providers to develop a pathway into fusion-related jobs.
The success of STEP in demonstrating this commercial viability will pave the way for the development of a fleet of fusion power plants around the world.
Dr James Cowan, STEP Programme Director at UKIFS underlines the importance of collaboration:
Harnessing the power of the stars to generate clean, sustainable energy on earth requires meaningful collaboration across scientific, engineering and construction disciplines. UKIFS is committed to bringing the best people, and organisations together to deliver STEP, and ELSA is a perfect example of this approach in action.
The Fusion Technology Facility is located in South Yorkshire’s Advanced Manufacturing Park, allowing collaboration between leaders in industry and fusion research institutions to test and engineer hard-wearing, purpose-built components. FTF opened in 2020 and is responsible for 85 UKAEA staff who support component design, qualification and supply chain development for commercial fusion power. Operations continue to expand, providing increasing opportunities for the local workforce.