General Atomics to Design First Full-Scale Fusion Blanket Test Facility
New research center would mark a step towards realizing reliable, abundant fusion energy
General Atomics (GA) announced today that the company is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop design concepts for a facility dedicated to testing full-scale fusion power-plant “blankets,” a critical system that has never been tested at this scale.
A new Fusion Blanket Component Test Facility (BCTF) would enable scientists and engineers to evaluate integrated fusion blanket systems. These systems use specialized lithium-based materials—solid, liquid, or salt—that line the inside of a fusion vessel to capture energy and produce the tritium needed to sustain fusion reactions. Successful testing would address a major scientific and engineering challenge on the path to realizing the world’s first commercial fusion power plant.
“This is an important phase for fusion energy in the United States,” said Dr. Anantha Krishnan, senior vice president of the General Atomics Energy Group. “No one has tested a fusion blanket at this scale. While there are more research and development challenges ahead, a BCTF brings us closer to turning fusion from proven science into practical, sustainable power.”
