Kyoto Fusioneering wins QST contract to build tritium system prototypes for ITER

Tritium fuel cycle processing hardware of the kind being developed by Kyoto Fusioneering under its QST contract to build TES and TAS prototypes for ITER’s Test Blanket System

(Image courtesy of Kyoto Fusioneering)

Kyoto Fusioneering (KF) has been awarded a contract by the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) to develop prototypes of the Tritium Extraction System (TES) and Tritium Accountancy System (TAS), critical components of the Test Blanket System planned for ITER. The contract tasks KF with developing and validating tritium fuel cycle system prototypes in Japan ahead of full-scale deployment at ITER, the international fusion experiment under construction in southern France, supporting the fuel self-sufficiency that future fusion power plants will require.

Tritium fuel cycle systems at the heart of the ITER test blanket program

The Test Blanket System is designed to demonstrate the in-reactor production and recovery of tritium, a prerequisite for achieving fuel self-sufficiency in future fusion power plants. It encompasses the Test Blanket Module, the in-vessel component installed directly within ITER, together with associated auxiliary subsystems. The TBM program is a distinctive framework within ITER in which participating parties each develop their own TBM concept and contribute independently developed technologies for comparative evaluation and validation.

KF will design and fabricate the TES and TAS prototypes and carry out installation at the Blanket Engineering Test Building of QST’s Rokkasho Fusion Energy Research Institute in Aomori Prefecture. The systems will undergo domestic fabrication and validation at the Rokkasho facility before installation at ITER. The release describes the systems as incorporating technologies uniquely developed in Japan.

The TES extracts tritium generated in the blanket together with helium gas, separating and recovering it through a series of processing units that include drying columns to remove moisture and impurities, and palladium diffusers that selectively permeate tritium. The TES plays a critical role in enabling the tritium fuel cycle in fusion energy plants. The TAS enables precise measurement and management of recovered tritium, providing essential functionality for fuel management and safety assurance in fusion power plants.

CODAC integration and remote operation readiness

Alongside hardware development, KF will develop a remote-control program using the CODAC Core System, ITER’s standard control platform. This will enable validation in an environment equivalent to ITER operations and support the advancement of remote operation technologies for future fusion plants.

KF draws on expertise developed through UNITY-2, which KF describes as the world’s first integrated tritium fuel cycle test facility, currently under construction in Canada by Fusion Fuel Cycles (FFC), a joint venture between KF and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL). UNITY-2 incorporates advanced tritium processing and accountancy technologies, and expertise gained through that program will directly support KF’s contribution to the TBM program.

Building toward ITER and future power generation

As Japan’s core institution for fusion energy R&D, QST is advancing research in blanket engineering and tritium handling technologies at its Rokkasho Fusion Energy Research Institute, with a view toward ITER and future fusion power demonstration. KF, which has focused since its founding on the integrated engineering of breeding blankets, tritium fuel cycles, and related systems, will advance the design and fabrication of Japan-developed systems for the TBM program while identifying manufacturing risks and strengthening technical readiness.

Kiyoshi Seko, President and COO of KF, stated that the company aims to translate its engineering capabilities in blankets, fuel cycles, and related systems into tangible progress toward the success of ITER and future power generation demonstration. Building on QST’s world-leading solid breeder water-cooled blanket technology, KF will contribute as a private-sector partner to advance fusion energy through public-private collaboration.

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