Grant to Support Groundbreaking Project in Lithium Enrichment Technology
Kyoto Fusioneering Europe GmbH (KFEU), the Germany-based subsidiary of Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd. (KF), is excited to announce that it has received a research grant from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the German federal fusion development program “Fusion 2040” (contract number: 13F1010A-C).
In partnership with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Argentum Vivum Solutions GmbH (AVS), the KaLiAS project seeks to solve a critical challenge for the operation of fusion power plants: supplying sufficient enriched lithium to achieve tritium self-sufficiency. Naturally occurring lithium contains only 7.6% of the lighter isotope Lithium-6, but lithium with an increased fraction of this isotope is required for breeding blankets (learn more about the crucial role of breeding blankets here) to enable tritium generation that can sustain the tritium burn-up. Future fusion power plants and demonstration machines are expected to require large amounts of enriched lithium that exceed current supplies. The KaLiAS project aims to develop a scalable, cost-effective process for Lithium enrichment using the innovative ICOMAX method developed at KIT. KFEU will play a pivotal role by building the necessary tools and designing, modeling, and validating the design for a pilot plant, paving the way to master a key technology that provides sufficient and timely enriched lithium for fusion developers.
Quotes:
Christian Day, Head of KFEU, Senior Vice President and Head of Fuel Cycle at KF, commented on the project, saying, “Having a viable and demonstrated method and route to supply enriched lithium will be an achievement benefiting all global fusion efforts, enabling fusion developers to design around advanced, highly efficient breeding blankets, widening the design space and allowing optimization in other areas.”
About Kyoto Fusioneering, Ltd.
Kyoto Fusioneering is a privately funded fusion energy engineering company founded in 2019 and built on decades of fusion research at Kyoto University. Uniquely dedicated to tackling advanced fusion engineering challenges, we develop cutting-edge technologies for fusion power plants, including gyrotron systems, tritium fuel cycles, breeding blankets, and hydrogen isotope transfer pumps. Collaborating globally with fusion innovators, both private and public, and focusing on critical-path technologies, we strive to deliver on the promise of fusion. Headquartered in Tokyo, with a presence in the UK, US, and Germany, and an in-house Kyoto R&D Centre, we bring unmatched expertise and diverse solutions to the global fusion ecosystem. Explore more about KF’s vision for the future of energy at www.kyotofusioneering.com/en/ or by contacting media@kyotofusioneering.com
About KIT
The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has been actively and successfully researching fusion technologies for over 30 years and has achieved a top-class status in the fusion community with contributions to international fusion research facilities as well as national projects. In the European EUROfusion consortium, KIT has been the project leader for the fuel cycle work package from the very beginning. With the Karlsruhe Mercury Laboratory, KIT has a nationally and internationally unique research infrastructure that enables work with mercury in compliance with the highest safety standards.
About AVS
Since 2008, Argentum Vivum Solutions has combined engineering expertise with the know-how of a modern management consultancy that has specialized in the fields of chemical engineering and metallurgy in recent years and has also been active in the field of fusion technology since 2022. We develop solutions for companies, governments and research institutions in the fields of energy generation, raw material cycles and climate protection. The processes and plants developed and patented by AVS provide our service portfolio with competitive advantages that enable us to achieve our goals significantly faster together with our partners. Find out more at www.argentum-vivum-solutions.com/#philosophy or contact info@argentum-vivum-solutions.com.
