Magnetic Target Fusion
>> What is Magnetic Target Fusion
Magnetic Target Fusion is a type of fusion reactor being researched and developed by general fusion to provide the world with clean energy. Magnetic Target Fusion (MTF) is a fusion power concept that combines features of Magnetic Confinement Fusion (MCF) and Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF).
The reason MTF is being researched is that when compared to ICF and other types of fusion reactors it is relatively efficient and cheap.
MTF has four key advantages over other fusion reactors. Material durability, the liquid metal liner protects the reactor from neutrons released by fusion. Fuel Production, Fusion occurs by superheating hydrogen plasma by using pistons which rapidly compress the fuel, this releases energy and tritium which is captured and used as fuel. Energy Conversion, Heat is extracted from the liquid metal liner and used to make steam which then powers a turbine that produces electricity. Lastly, Energy Economics, MTF reactors are straightforward to scale and manufacture.
>> How does it Work
There are three main steps that make a Magnetic Target Fusion Reactor function, this may seem simple but it takes an insane amount of coordination to get everything right
Creating the wall
In order to create the wall for the plasma, there are many steps that must occur. First, a cylindrical rotating chamber surrounded by pistons is filled with liquid metal. The liquid metal is then spun until it forms a cavity in its center.
Once the cavity is formed the hundreds of pistons that surround the liquid metal begin to fire in a very precise pattern that forms the liquid metal wall into a liquid metal sphere.
Plasma Injection
The next step of an MTF reactor is the injection of the plasma. Before plasma is injected it is created. Titrium is used to create hydrogen plasma to fuel the MTF reactor.
Next, the injector forms the plasma into a ring shape and injects it into the hollow liquid metal sphere.
Once the plasma is finally contained in the sphere the pistons begin to move again and rapidly compress and decompress. this rapid compression and decompression of the plasma results in it becoming superheated to more than 100 million degrees. It is at this point that fusion of the hydrogen plasma occurs.
Energy Extraction
When the hydrogen atoms fuse and release energy, energy is released in the form of heat.
This heat is then captured by the liquid metal. The heat captured by the liquid metal wall is then transferred to water. this water then turns into steam and this steam goes on to spin a turbine thus leading to the creation of clean energy.
>> General Fusion
What Is It?
General Fusion is a Canadian Company founded by Michael Laberge, a Canadian physicist, and engineer. General Fusion is the company responsible for the research and development of MTF. their goal is to make clean, safe, and abundant fusion energy for everybody around the world
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The Fusion Demonstration Plant
General Fusion has made a deal with the UK government to create a fusion demonstration plant to showcase their research and developments of MTF. The plant is being built in Oxfordshire, at Culham, the center of the UK's nuclear R&D. The demonstration plant is meant to be 70% of a commercial-sized plant and is to be completed in 2025
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What is General Fusion's Goal?
The goal of General Fusion is to create clean, safe, and abundant fusion energy for every person on earth. They are hoping that the Fusion Demonstration Plant will catch the eyes of many world governments which will lead them to invest in General Fusion which will allow them to further their research.​
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This picture is a digital render of an MTF reactor as it would look at the Fusion Demonstration Plant in the UK ​
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Pictured above is the entire team of physicists and engineers who work directly on the development, research, and construction of the MTF reactor.
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>> Presentation
Here are two quick videos, the one on the left is about MTF reactors and how they work, the one on the right is about general Fusion, the company behind MTF reactors