EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Fusion Energy Science and Technology

EPSRC聚变能源科学与技术博士培训中心

• 批准号: EP/S022430/1
• 金额: $ 583.74万
• 依托单位: University of York
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Training Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2020 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FS022430%2F1
• 关键词: EPSRC; Centre; Doctoral; Training; Fusion

Fusion is the process that powers the Sun, and if it can be reproduced here on Earth it would solve one of the biggest challenges facing humanity - plentiful, safe, sustainable power to the grid. For fusion to occur requires the deuterium and tritium (DT) mix of fuels to be heated to ten times the temperature at the centre of the Sun, and confined for sufficient time at sufficient density. The fuel is then in the plasma state - a form of ionised gas. Our CDT explores two approaches to creating the fusion conditions in the plasma: (1) magnetic confinement fusion which holds the fuel by magnetic fields at relatively low density for relatively long times in a chamber called a tokamak, and (2) inertial confinement fusion which holds the fuel for a very short time related to the plasma inertia but at huge densities which are achieved by powerful lasers focused onto a solid DT pellet. A main driver for our CDT is the people that are required as we approach the final stages towards the commercialisation of fusion energy. This requires high calibre researchers to be internationally competitive and win time on the new generation of fusion facilities such as the 15Bn Euro ITER international tokamak under construction in the South of France, and the range of new high power laser facilities across Europe and beyond (e.g. NIF in the US). ITER, for example, will produce ten times more fusion power than that used to heat the plasma to fusion conditions, to answer the final physics questions and most technology questions to enable the design of the first demonstration reactors.Fusion integrates many research areas. Our CDT trains across plasma physics and materials strands, giving students depth of knowledge in their chosen strand, but also breadth across both to instil an understanding of how the two are closely coupled in a fusion device. Training in advanced instrumentation and microscopy is required to understand how materials and plasmas behave (and interact) in the extreme fusion conditions. Advanced computing cuts across materials science and plasma physics, so high performance computing is embedded in our taught programme and several PhD research projects. Fusion requires advances in technology as well as scientific research. We focus on areas that link to our core interests of materials and plasmas, such as the negative ion sources required for the large neutral beam heating systems or the design of the divertor components to handle high heat loads.Our students have access to world-class facilities that enhance the local infrastructure of the partner universities. The Central Laser Facility and Orion laser at AWE, for example, provide an important UK capability, while LMJ, XFEL and the ELI suite of laser facilities offer opportunities for high impact research to establish track records. In materials, we have access to the National Ion Beam Centre, including Dalton Cumbria Facility; the Materials Research Facility at Culham for studying radioactive samples; the emerging capability of the Royce institute, and the Jules Horowitz reactor for neutron irradiation experiments in the near future. The JET and MAST-U tokamaks at Culham are key for plasma physics and materials science. MAST-U is returning to experiments following a £55M upgrade, while JET is preparing for record- breaking fusion experiments with DT. Overseas, we have an MoU with the Korean national fusion institute (NFRI) to collaborate on materials research and on their superconducting tokamak, KSTAR. The latter provides important experience for our students as both the JT-60SA tokamak (under construction in Japan as an EU-Japan collaboration) and ITER will have superconducting magnets, and plays to the strengths of our superconducting materials capability at Durham and Oxford. These opportunities together provide an excellent training environment and create a high impact arena with strong international visibility for our students.

核聚变是为太阳提供能量的过程，如果它能在地球上复制，它将解决人类面临的最大挑战之一--向电网提供充足、安全、可持续的电力。要发生核聚变，需要将混合的氢和氚(DT)燃料加热到太阳中心温度的十倍，并以足够的密度限制足够的时间。然后燃料处于等离子体状态--一种电离气体的形式。我们的CDT探索了两种在等离子体中创造聚变条件的方法：(1)磁约束聚变，它通过磁场在称为托卡马克的腔中以相对较低的密度保持燃料相对较长的时间，以及(2)惯性约束聚变，它将燃料保持非常短的时间，与等离子体惯性有关，但密度很高，这是通过聚焦到固体DT颗粒上的强大激光实现的。我们CDT的一个主要驱动力是在我们接近聚变能源商业化的最后阶段所需的人员。这需要高素质的研究人员在国际上具有竞争力，并在新一代聚变设施上赢得时间，例如正在法国南部建设的150亿欧元ITER国际托卡马克，以及欧洲和其他地区的一系列新的高功率激光设施(如美国的NIF)。例如，ITER将产生比用于将等离子体加热到聚变条件下的聚变功率十倍的聚变功率，以回答最终的物理问题和大多数技术问题，从而使第一个示范反应堆的设计成为可能。聚变集成了许多研究领域。我们的CDT培训跨越等离子体物理和材料链，为学生提供他们选择的链上的知识深度，但也包括两者的广度，以灌输对两者如何在融合设备中紧密耦合的理解。需要进行先进仪器和显微镜方面的培训，以了解材料和等离子体在极端聚变条件下的行为(和相互作用)。先进的计算跨越了材料科学和等离子体物理，因此高性能计算被嵌入到我们的教学计划和几个博士研究项目中。聚变需要技术和科学研究的进步。我们专注于与我们的材料和等离子体核心兴趣相关的领域，例如大型中性束流加热系统所需的负离子源，或者用于处理高热负荷的偏滤器组件的设计。我们的学生可以使用世界级的设施，以增强合作大学的当地基础设施。例如，AWE的中央激光设施和猎户座激光提供了英国的一项重要能力，而LMJ、XFEL和ELI激光设施套件为高影响研究提供了建立跟踪记录的机会。在材料方面，我们可以使用国家离子束中心，包括道尔顿·坎布里亚设施；库勒姆的材料研究设施，用于研究放射性样品；罗伊斯研究所正在形成的能力，以及不久的将来用于中子辐照实验的朱尔斯·霍洛维茨反应堆。卡勒姆的JET和MAST-U托卡马克是等离子体物理和材料科学的关键。在升级了GB 55M之后，Mast-U正在重返实验，而Jet正在准备与DT进行破纪录的聚变实验。在海外，我们与韩国国家核聚变研究所(Nfri)签署了一份谅解备忘录，在材料研究和他们的超导托卡马克(Kstar)上进行合作。后者为我们的学生提供了重要的经验，因为JT-60SA托卡马克(作为欧盟和日本的合作正在日本建造)和ITER都将拥有超导磁体，并发挥我们在达勒姆和牛津的超导材料能力的优势。这些机会共同为我们的学生提供了一个良好的培训环境，并为我们的学生创造了一个具有强大国际知名度的高影响力的舞台。