According to the Financial Times, the UK-based fusion company Tokamak Energy has recently partnered with the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to explore the commercialization of magnet technology in developing stealth submarines.
Commercialization of High-Temperature Superconducting (HTS) Magnets
Tokamak Energy’s advances in magnet technology are vital to its fusion plans. Whereas most existing tokamaks are doughnut-shaped, it plans to build a more compact spherical one, which will require the machine’s magnets to perform as efficiently as possible. Currently, Tokamak Energy is actively working to bring its research and development achievements in HTS magnets to the market, and its collaboration with DARPA is a key part of its strategic blueprint.
The company is not only focused on the fusion field but also envisions the wide application of HTS magnets in industries such as public transportation and medical imaging. Liam Brennan, head of TE Magnetics, stated: “We are committed to turning the innovative achievements of HTS magnets into real-world applications.” He also revealed that DARPA is seeking to equip stealth submarines with silent marine propulsion capable of generating a 20 tesla field. This technological challenge had long plagued the industry due to the low efficiency of magnets and issues with electrode materials. However, with breakthroughs in HTS magnets and the resolution of electrode corrosion problems, the military application of magnetohydrodynamic drives is now on the horizon.
The programme aims to make silent marine propulsion a reality, technology available in The Hunt for Red October © Maximum Film/Alamy
Technical Highlights and Commercial Potential
In this collaboration, Tokamak Energy will use its proprietary HTS magnets, capable of generating magnetic fields up to 24 tesla at a temperature of -253°C. These magnets are wound from innovative material tape and can produce stronger magnetic fields at higher temperature compared to traditional low-temperature superconducting (LTS) magnets, without the need for expensive liquid helium cooling, and with high vibration tolerance.
Brennan highlighted that these features of HTS magnets not only make them suitable for magnetohydrodynamic drives in nuclear submarines but also greatly expand their potential applications in fields such as medical imaging, including MRI, and rail transportation.
Providing Investors with Clearer Return Prospects
Given the long commercialization process of the fusion industry, Tokamak Energy has expanded its magnet business to offer investors more tangible return expectations. According to a report released by the Fusion Industry Association (FIA) in July 2024, although the fusion industry has raised $7.1 billion in total, commercial fusion power generation is still at least a decade away, and fundraising remains challenging.
By selling its magnet expertise to other fusion companies and industries, Tokamak Energy says it can ease its future funding requirements.
“The magnet business allows us to demonstrate real returns to investors, alleviating the pressure of investing in long-term projects,” Christian Lowis, the company’s general counsel said. He explained that the key to the company’s model lies in owning the core technology of magnet design. Whether through in-house manufacturing, subcontracting the manufacturing to somebody else, or sublicensing the IP to other companies, these approaches can generate substantial revenue for the company.
Currently, Tokamak Energy has signed HTS magnet contracts with several companies, and its TE Magnetics division is expected to achieve £8 million in annual revenue next year, with a projected annual revenue of £300 million within the next decade. These efforts not only provide the company with valuable capital but also inject new momentum into the commercialization of fusion technology.
Source of content:
https://www.ft.com/content/570267a4-657e-4c6b-805d-7b29a637e546
