Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

The research in this proposal, titled "Plasma Physics and Engineering for Fusion Research and Other Applications", aims to contribute to fusion energy development using the STOR-M tokamak device, the only one of this kind in Canada. Fusion power uses abundant resources, produces small carbon footprint, and is intrinsically safe. Fusion occurs when two light hydrogen isotope nuclei, deuterium and tritium, fuse to form a heavier helium and thereby releases energy. The similar fusion reactions based on fusion of two conventional hydrogen nuclei occur in the Sun and provide the energy to support the life on the Earth. One way to make fusion reactions happen on the Earth is to heat the fuels to hundreds of million degrees. The fuels at high temperatures become ionized gas called plasma. To confine the extremely hot plasma in a reactor, magnetic field is used to keep the plasma from contacting and melting the reactor wall. Tokamak is one of those devices to confine the fusion plasma. There exist many challenges which have hindered development of fusion reactors. Various particle-loss processes must be understood, and techniques developed to combat the losses. Also, the reactor wall must endure high-power load from the plasma and development of materials for plasma facing component is essential. Furthermore, fusion fuels must be delivered in real-time as fuel is burnt. Efficient fuel delivery system is thus desired. Advances in fusion research has led to construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in Cadarache, France. In addition to the traditional public funding for fusion energy research, more than 47 private fusion companies in the world have cumulatively raised investment exceeding $6B USD. The proposed research will focus on the following topics (a) study of plasma confinement physics in our STOR-M tokamak and development of techniques to improve it, (b) test of materials to be potentially used for fusion reactors using several plasma devices in our lab and elsewhere through collaborations, and (c) development of the fuel delivery technology using the so-called compact torus injector. The proposed research will be carried out on the following devices at the University of Saskatchewan: (a) STOR-M tokamak device for studying plasma confinement, (b) Compact torus injector for studying innovative and promising fuel technology for fusion reactors, and (c) dense plasma focus device for testing materials intended for fusion reactor components. All three devices are unique in Canada. The University of Saskatchewan has conducted research on plasma physics and engineering for over 50 years and carried out plasma-aided material syntheses for over 20 years. The proposed research is based on the accumulated expertise in the lab. The continued research in this area will help to maintain Canadian expertise in fusion energy research and to train young talents.