NPL’s CERN deal paves the way for solving electricity’s fusion challenge

NPL will undertake cross section measurements of neutron induced nuclear reactions relevant to the development of new nuclear technologies including advanced nuclear reactors (Gen-IV) and fuel cycles.

In particular it will focus on reactions in a range of materials producing hydrogen, tritium and helium in a range of materials. 

With the UK planning to quadruple nuclear generation by 2050, buoyed by an extra £650 millions-worth of new investment, the country faces technical challenges generating electricity from nuclear fusion.

The NPL team will help enable an experimental programme at n_TOF that aims to achieve “more reliable simulation and operational understanding of next generation fission and fusion reactors”. In addition to foreign partners, it will collaborate with other UK centres including the universities of Manchester, Surrey, Birmingham, Lancaster and York, in addition to the UKAEA, the UK Atomic Energy Authority.

As well as assisting development of next generation nuclear fusion systems for energy production, the programme is expected to underpin the NPL neutron research programme, as well as allowing the further dissemination of key NPL-based expertise in nuclear metrology and radiochemistry.

NPL strategic business development manager Cyrus Larijani said: “I am very pleased that NPL will join the n_TOF collaboration. This expands the NPL external network and gives our scientists a new opportunity to lead solutions to the world’s challenges. It is also an effective return of investments that UK has made over the years at CERN.”

Pic: Survey operators in the PS (proton synchroton) tunnel at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. Credit: CERN