DBD LIMITED: DEMONSTRATION OF PROOF OF CONCEPT OF A NOVEL ENGINEERED TRITIUM BARRIER TO REDUCE WASTE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES IN DIVERSE NUCLEAR FUSION PROCESSING OPERATIONS.

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It is beyond dispute that the world must find new, economical, sustainable ways to supply itsinhabitants’ ever-increasing demand for energy.Global energy consumption is set to triple by the end of the 21st century. The world still relieson fossil fuels for up to 90% of its energy needs (Worldwatch.org, 2013),however there will be slow decline in their supply for power generation from 2015 and thereare, as yet, very few safe and environmentally friendly alternatives which can replace it,despite the ongoing development of renewable replacements.Power generation from nuclear fusion could offer the prospect of an almost inexhaustiblesource of energy for future generations and, as a power generation method, it is inherentlysafe, clean and potentially cheap, using two forms of hydrogen as its raw materials -deuterium which is in abundant supply and tritium, which can be recycled from the fusionprocess.However, tritium is a small light gaseous molecule that can permeate through metal pipes andso escape. There is a need to find a way to prevent its loss.DBD, a specialist engineering, technical and advisory company based in north west England,has invented an elegant and innovative barrier method to control and manage tritiumpermeation. It has potential to prevent loss of tritium from the nuclear fusion process, with theimpact that it removes the potential economic and environmental issues of tritium loss.The award of a grant from TSB's SMART competition enables DBD to complete an 18months long project to demonstrate the technology and to recruit new staff to undertake thework required and to access specialist resources to assist. The technology will be ready forcommercial use within 2 years of the project end.