US nuclear fusion leaps forward with 3D-printed fuel capsules breakthrough
The project uses a new 3D printing method called dual-wavelength, two-photon polymerization (DW-2PP). This technique uses two light sources to print different materials with high precision.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is exploring the use of advanced 3D printing to mass-produce fuel capsules for fusion energy power plants.
It could be a significant advance in the field of fusion energy, which is considered the “Holy Grail” of clean and abundant power.
While the ignition experiment, which the Lab has already achieved in 2022, was a major breakthrough, producing fusion energy on a commercial scale presents significant challenges.
One of the biggest hurdles is the production of fuel capsules required for the process. These capsules hold the deuterium and tritium fuel used in fusion reactions.
These capsules, which must be nearly perfectly spherical, currently take months to manufacture. For reference, a viable power plant would require nearly a million of these capsules per day. Moreover, these capsules must be manufactured with extreme accuracy.
“The need for perfection is such that, if a NIF capsule were enlarged to the size of the Earth, an imperfection higher than the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles would be disqualifying,” highlighted the Lab in a press release.
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