EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Fusion Energy Science and Technology

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。聚变的发生需要将氘和氚（DT）混合燃料加热到太阳中心温度的十倍，并在足够的密度下保持足够的时间。然后燃料处于等离子体状态——一种电离气体。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，在一个被称为托卡马克的腔室中以相对低密度的磁场保持燃料相对较长时间；(2)惯性约束聚变，与等离子体惯性相关的很短时间内保持燃料，但密度很大，这是通过强大的激光聚焦在固体DT球团上实现的。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要的人员。这需要高水平的研究人员在国际上具有竞争力，并赢得新一代聚变设施的时间，例如法国南部正在建设的150亿欧元的ITER国际托卡马克，以及欧洲和其他地区的新高功率激光设施（例如美国的NIF）。例如，ITER产生的核聚变功率将是将等离子体加热到核聚变条件的十倍，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。核聚变融合了许多研究领域。我们的CDT训练跨越等离子体物理和材料链，让学生在他们选择的链的深度知识，但也跨越两者的广度灌输的理解如何两者是紧密耦合在一个聚变装置。在先进的仪器和显微镜的培训需要了解如何材料和等离子体的行为（和相互作用）在极端的融合条件。高级计算横跨材料科学和等离子体物理学，因此高性能计算嵌入到我们的教学计划和几个博士研究项目中。核聚变需要先进的技术和科学研究。我们专注于与材料和等离子体相关的核心领域，例如大型中性束加热系统所需的负离子源或用于处理高热负荷的分流器组件的设计。我们的学生可以使用世界一流的设施，加强当地合作大学的基础设施。例如，AWE的中央激光设备和猎户座激光器为英国提供了重要的能力，而LMJ、XFEL和ELI激光设备套件为高影响力研究提供了建立跟踪记录的机会。在材料方面，我们可以访问国家离子束中心，包括道尔顿坎布里亚设施；位于Culham的材料研究设施，用于研究放射性样品；罗伊斯研究所的新能力，以及朱尔斯·霍洛维茨反应堆在不久的将来用于中子辐照实验。卡拉姆的JET和MAST-U托卡马克是等离子体物理和材料科学的关键。在耗资5500万英镑升级后，MAST-U正在返回实验，而JET正在准备与DT进行破纪录的聚变实验。在海外，我们与韩国国家聚变研究所（NFRI）签署了谅解备忘录，就材料研究和超导托卡马克KSTAR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-日本合作在日本建设）和ITER都将有超导磁体，并发挥我们在达勒姆和牛津大学超导材料能力的优势。这些机会共同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。

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.