Advanced virtual design of 3D printed fusion reactor components

Lead Research Organisation: University of Manchester
Department Name: Mechanical Aerospace and Civil Eng

Abstract

3D printing (additive manufacturing) is an emerging technology that has the potential to enable important breakthroughs in the design of fusion reactor components, particularly as it makes it easier and cheaper to manufacture geometrically complex parts that are difficult or costly to make using conventional means. An example application area is the addition of small-scale features to the surfaces of fusion reactor coolant channels to help improve thermal performance. The design process here involves assessing the robustness or structural integrity of the printed part and the potential for erosion of the small-scale features by the coolant. This requires the ability to quantify the effects of coupled physical processes (heat and mass transfer) at multiple length and time scales. Setting up physical experiments that can reproduce the conditions expected in a fusion reactor is difficult, so this project will use and extend our in-house engineering simulation tools to evaluate digital twins of real, additively manufactured components. The complex geometry of the twins, including internal micro-structural features such as voids and defects, will be captured using 3D imaging facilities. The images will be converted to engineering models that will be evaluated using software designed for use on supercomputers. The aim is to develop a virtual design workflow that can be used to iteratively improve the predicted performance of 3D printed Fusion Reactor components.

Planned Impact

Identifying a solution to the energy problem is crucial to the UK economy and quality of life. In the near term a range of renewable options must be developed, eg wind and solar, but it is unlikely that these will provide the base-load supply required. Nuclear is an option for a carbon-free base-load and, in particular, fusion energy is safe and relatively clean. If it can be achieved, fusion would bring the largest economic benefits to those countries that lead the way to build the first fusion power plants, but ultimately most people in the world will benefit from fusion in some way.
ITER, the largest international science project on Earth, will operate from 2020 to answer the final physics questions and most technology questions required to construct the first demonstration magnetic fusion energy (MFE) power plant, DEMO. We will train the ITER generation of UK fusion scientists who will have the expertise to win time on this key facility against international competition. This is crucial to build experience that will feed into the design of DEMO, ensuring the UK remains at the forefront. EU design studies for DEMO are already under way, with manufacture of prototype components likely to follow soon. There are a number of beneficiaries from this training: (1) it will benefit Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE), providing well-trained new staff to replace those retiring, keeping the UK at the forefront of fusion energy research, competitive for ITER time and leading elements of DEMO design/prototype development; (2) it will provide expertise for the growing UK industry involvement in fusion, helping to win contracts for ITER and DEMO prototype components; (3) it will ensure the UK has a cadre of fusion experts to advise Government on future directions. We expect to train 60 students in MFE, approximately balanced across plasmas, materials (relevant for IFE also, see below) and related fusion technologies.
For inertial fusion energy (IFE), NIF in the US is the most advanced device in the world, and some expected it would achieve fusion conditions, i.e. ignition. In its 2012 ignition experiments, this did not happen, but the reason why is still uncertain. The immediate need is to understand this, which requires experts to win time on international facilities (including NIF), understand why ignition did not occur and so develop a roadmap to IFE based on the new knowledge. This will benefit the UK Government by providing experts to advise on an appropriate strategy, able to compare the relative merits of IFE and MFE because of our training across both areas. If IFE proves viable, then it will need to integrate fusion technologies in a similar way to ITER and DEMO, bringing benefits to industry. We expect to train 15 students in high energy density physics (HEDP), spanning IFE and lab astrophysics; the MFE materials students' expertise is also relevant for IFE reactor design.
Expertise in HEDP is required by AWE for its science-based approach to underpinning the UK's nuclear deterrent, and is a key element of the UK's strategy to comply with the Test Ban Treaty. The new Orion laser facility at AWE can replicate the conditions in a nuclear warhead, enabling advanced computer codes to be tested. Our students will have the expertise to work with Orion, which requires skilled scientists as it establishes its programme. Also the materials and computational scientists amongst the ~60 MFE students will be of value to AWE.
We will train students in the cooler exhaust plasma of a tokamak. Similar plasma conditions are used in manufacturing industries (coatings, computer chips, etc) so we will develop a skill base that will benefit a number of such companies. Materials research for fusion is also relevant for fission. The popularity of fusion amongst students is a good way to bring outstanding students into the field, providing expertise that benefits the growing nuclear industries and supporting the Government's nuclear policy.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description COllaboration with 3T additive 
Organisation 3T RPD
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution - Thermal analysis of 3D printed CuCrZr investigated for application to fusion energy.
Collaborator Contribution - Provision of 3D printed CuCrZr and 2-week internship.
Impact -Potential for publication.
Start Year 2019
 
Description Fusion outreach at Dixons Allerton Primary School 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact - Two year 6 classes participated in a fusion outreach day designed to be compatible with their current scheme of work 'Light and electricity'.
Activities included:
-A discussion about careers in science and their prior knowledge of how electricity is produced.
-A session in an inflatable "Sun-dome" designed to teach them how fusion energy works.
- A set of three experiements examining concepts of conductivity (thermal and electrical) and density, designed to get the students to think about what materials might be suitable for use in a fusion reactor.

- After the workshop a teacher at the school reported that the students were significantly more engaged in their science classes with some showing an interest in future careers in science and doing their own research regarding fusion reactors and novel means of producing electricity.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019