Jamie Bennet
General Atomics has designed a compact fusion pilot plant as the company aims to become a leader in producing clean, sustainable energy.
The company said Thursday it will collaborate with fusion energy stakeholders to execute its vision for the facility, which will use its proprietary Fusion Synthesis Engine for maximum operational efficiency.
The plant will use an approach called “tokamak,” which uses electromagnetic field coils to confine plasma and condition it to achieve fusion. The FPP will also harvest seawater-based hydrogen isotopes that self-generate fuel, creating an emission-free energy source.
Another critical component of the facility is the breeding blanket for tritium to source fuel. The company developed an advanced modular concept for the breeding process and worked with Savannah River National Laboratory to study approaches to overcome challenges in tritium handling.
Wayne Solomon, vice president of magnetic fusion energy at General Atomics, said the FPP approach culminates the company’s more than six decades of research and development investment in that field and its work with the Department of Energy through the DIII-D National Fusion Facility.
