In an effort to fast-track the feasibility of commercial fusion energy, the University of South Carolina will be part of $107 million in funding for six projects as part of the Department of Energy’s Fusion Innovation Research Engine (FIRE) Collaboratives.

Overview: USC is among the participating universities, national laboratories and industry partners involved in one of the collaboratives, Fuel Cycle (FC) FIRE, which is led by the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). This collaborative project will solve challenges related to the fusion reactor fuel cycle and integrating these solutions at SRNL. 

• Leading USC's efforts will be Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing Chemical Engineering Professor Jochen Lauterbach and Vice Dean of Engineering and Computing Michael Matthews, who is also the associate vice president for research and national laboratory relations.

“This project recognizes USC’s leadership in both research and education that supports a significant challenge for the world - how to get the fuel to a fusion reactor. Success will enable a future of abundant clean energy, while also educating the future workforce for this industry," Matthews says.

USC’s Role: USC will be responsible for research and workforce development efforts with project partners. Lauterbach will develop advanced materials and technologies to recover valuable gases from the fusion reactor exhaust. He will also develop and validate approaches to removing contaminants from gases that leave the fusion reactor. Matthews and USC’s National Laboratory Office will coordinate workforce development efforts with the University of Rochester on behalf of the partners.

• Previously, South Carolina universities have been awarded $40 million from Gov. Henry McMaster and the state legislature to support workforce development initiatives for the SRNL.

Partners in innovation: Brenda Garcia-Diaz, who is SRNL’s Advisory Program Manager for Fusion Energy and FC-Fire Director as well as a USC adjunct chemical engineering professor, says FC-FIRE combines SRNL’s expertise with that of each partner to tackle the most challenging technical problems in the development of fuel cycles for commercial fusion energy.

“SRNL is leading FC-FIRE efforts to advance the fusion fuel cycle through process modeling, process technology development and tritium material solutions development,” Garcia-Diaz says. “The collaborative will also tackle cross-cutting issues such as byproduct material handling and fuel cycle workforce development.”