Applied Magnetics - Nuclear Fusion

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This research program focuses on the modeling and measurement of the magnetic fields and plasma in both magnetic confinement and magnetized target fusion concept reactors. The use of compact toroid injectors to produce magnetic fields sufficient to confine hot plasma and inject it into a tokamak fusion reactor or to serve as a reactor in its own right will be explored. This work will build on the applicant's experience both with these types of devices as well as with the use of magnetic fields to inspect components in Candu (fission) reactors and in other coaxial conducting structures (such as pipelines used in the oil and gas industries) to ensure their structural integrity. In fact, both the non-destructive evaluation application and the nuclear fusion application are based on similar fundamental physics and technology albeit at considerably different magnetic field strengths and energy densities. This research program builds on the applicant's previous experience and expertise in these areas, and incorporates industrial and academic partners at other institutions, both for the advancement of these technologies and for the training of highly qualified personnel. Canada has recently signalled that it is prepared to rejoin the controlled nuclear fusion community by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ITER in 2018 and a cooperation agreement in 2020. ITER is the world's leading tokamak fusion reactor experiment, currently under construction in the south of France. The MOU with ITER will facilitate the identification of specific areas of technical cooperation, such as fusion fueling technologies, for Canadian institutions and corporations in the nuclear sector. This will go a long way to ensuring that Canadian technologies and businesses have the opportunity to participate in the ITER project. Even more recently, the Canadian government has announced that it is investing nearly $50 million in Burnaby's General Fusion through the Strategic Innovation Fund. General Fusion is Canada's leader in nuclear fusion research, building on Canada's long-held expertise in plasma injector technology. These recent developments signal promising indications that Canada is set to reprise its role as a world leader in certain aspects of nuclear fusion technology; aspects that this research program is strongly aligned with. The applicant has considerable experience working on nuclear fusion devices in general, having collaborated with Canada's only remaining tokamak reactor group at the University of Saskatchewan's Plasma Physics Laboratory, and also with Sweden's EXTRAP-T2R reversed field pinch device, and most recently with the Plasma Physics Laboratory at Nihon University in Tokyo Japan. The applicant also has experience on plasma injector technology and has collaborated both with the University of Saskatchewan's Plasma Physics Laboratory and with General Fusion. It is this experience on which the applicant will build the proposed research program.