Kyoto Fusioneering and Shimadzu Corporation Jointly Develop a Prototype of a Turbomolecular Pump Designed for Operation in Tritium Environments
Prototype is a Key Component of the Fuel Cycle of Fusion Power Plants
Kyoto Fusioneering (KF) is delighted to announce the joint development of a prototype turbomolecular pump with Shimadzu Corporation. This pump is a critical component of the Fusion Fuel Cycle System, which forms an essential part of future fusion power plants.
The newly developed prototype is designed for operation in tritium environments. It features an oil-free configuration, with vacuum-contact materials selected for their resistance to tritium.
Performance testing and validation using tritium will be conducted at UNITY-2, an integrated test facility currently under construction in Canada by KF. The pump will also be supplied to companies and research institutions engaged in fusion development.
1. About the Fusion Fuel Cycle System
To ensure stable operation of a fusion power plant, a continuous supply of fuel is essential. This requires advanced technologies to exhaust, separate, and recirculate hydrogen isotope gases—such as tritium (a radioactive isotope of hydrogen)—from the reactor core. KF is pioneering the development of this technology under the name “Fusion Fuel Cycle System.”
In collaboration with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), KF has established a joint venture called Fusion Fuel Cycles Inc. (FFC), which is currently constructing an integrated test facility named UNITY-2 in Ontario, Canada. Trial operations are scheduled to start in 2026, with plans to conduct equipment and system testing under actual tritium conditions, leading to full-scale integrated demonstrations.
2. Role of the Turbomolecular Pump and Background of the Joint Development
In a Fusion Fuel Cycle System, mixed gases containing unreacted tritium and deuterium—along with helium produced by fusion reactions—must be exhausted from the vacuum chamber of the plant. These gases are then processed to recover tritium and deuterium, which are reused as fuel. Vacuum pumps, including turbomolecular pumps, play a vital role in systems that require vacuum conditions, such as for the transfer of unreacted fuel and to provide vacuum insulation.
Unlike conventional vacuum pumps used in industrial applications, those used in fusion power plants must be designed to withstand operation in tritium environments, due to the presence of tritium in exhaust gases. To meet this requirement, KF, an expert in fusion energy, has partnered with Shimadzu Corporation, the global leader in industrial turbomolecular pumps, to jointly develop a new pump type specifically designed for tritium conditions. Following this collaboration, a prototype has now been successfully completed.
3. Key Features of the Turbomolecular Pump Under Joint Development
・Designed for Operation in Tritium Environments
The prototype turbomolecular pump jointly developed by KF and Shimadzu Corporation is engineered for long-term, stable operation in tritium environments. It employs magnetic bearings that levitate and support the rotor using magnetic force, significantly reducing wear and the need for frequent component replacement. Materials resistant to degradation at tritium exposure have been carefully selected.
The new pump has already been fully characterised with protium (H2) and deuterium (D2) and shown excellent performance. Performance testing under actual tritium conditions will be conducted at the UNITY-2 facility to validate its capabilities.
・High Exhaust Performance for Hydrogen
The pump incorporates a drag-type stage mechanism that enhances the compression of light molecules, enabling excellent exhaust performance for gases containing hydrogen isotopes.
For detailed product specifications, please refer to the product catalog (available in English only).
4. Product Image
5. Shimadzu Corporation
Shimadzu Corporation has been doing business based on our corporate philosophy, “Contributing to Society through Science and Technology,” since being founded 150 years ago. The analytical and measuring instruments, industrial machinery, and aircraft equipment that we provide are used in a wide range of industries, where they play a role in protecting the safety and security of society and improving convenience of life through our customers’ businesses. In addition, the Shimadzu products used at healthcare facilities for diagnosis, treatment, or measuring health, and the equipment used to support the development of new drugs, serve an important role in supporting the desire of people to live healthy lives.
Website: https://www.shimadzu.com/
6. Kyoto Fusioneering
Founded in 2019, Kyoto Fusioneering is a privately funded deep-tech startup with offices and facilities in Tokyo and Kyoto (Japan), Culham (UK), Seattle (US), and Karlsruhe (Germany). The company specialises in developing the critical technologies needed for commercial fusion power plants, including gyrotron systems, tritium fuel cycle solutions, and breeding blankets for tritium production and power generation.
Working hand-in-hand with public and private fusion developers worldwide, Kyoto Fusioneering’s mission is to make fusion energy the ultimate sustainable solution to humanity’s energy needs.
Learn more about our vision for the future of energy at www.kyotofusioneering.com/en/ or contact us at media@kyotofusioneering.com.
