| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/L000822/1 |
| Title: |
The UK Inertial Fusion Energy Network |
| Principal Investigator: |
Smith, Professor R |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Physics |
| Organisation: |
Imperial College London |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research |
| Starts: |
01 November 2013 |
Ends: |
31 October 2015 |
Value (£): |
321,703
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
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| Related Grants: |
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| Panel History: |
| Panel Date | Panel Name | Outcome |
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27 Feb 2013
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EPSRC Physical Sciences Energy – February 2013
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Announced
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
The UK has played a very significant role in the development of Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) via a combination of curiosity driven academic research and training, scientific and technical activities hosted in national laboratories and through many collaborations with major international partners. The prospect for fusion ignition at the US National Ignition Facility (NIF) has prompted the need to discuss how the UK could capitalise on its (often world leading) expertise in fusion science and technology to develop an Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) programme. The long term goal of an IFE programme would be to create a technically and commercially viable source of carbon free energy based on thermonuclear fusion, and this is likely to be a demanding undertaking requiring a multi-national effort. In the Magnetic Confinement Fusion (MCF) community such a programme already exists in the UK and has well defined leadership, long term goals, scientific and technical sub-programmes, funding streams and links to international partners and industry. There is currently no equivalent IFE activity in the UK and a key aim of this network will be to develop proposals for a more programmatic approach to IFE research and development, and highlight where the UK is best placed to have major international impact.
Our proposal is to bring together all members of the UK's scientific and industrial communities with an interest in inertial fusion and supporting technologies in a series of well coordinated network activities including focused technical and scientific workshops and large scale community meetings. We will highlight where UK academics, national laboratories and industry are best placed to play world leading roles. A full and open discussion of the short, intermediate and long term goals and potential leadership of IFE activities in the UK will be held, and we will develop a series of strategies for IFE based on future funding scenarios and scientific drivers (e.g. a demonstration of fusion ignition). We will engage in community building and outreach activities that identify opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration (for example with MCF, Generation IV fission and materials research) and reach out to industry to highlight where they too can benefit, for example by partnering with national laboratories to gain access to and help commercialise cutting edge technologies.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.imperial.ac.uk |