Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has successfully delivered two cutting-edge superconducting magnets to the University of Wisconsin for a groundbreaking experiment in magnetic mirror fusion technology.
This marks the company’s first external delivery of magnet technology, aligning with its strategic vision to provide magnets not only for its own fusion power plants but also for other promising applications.
Beyond SPARC: Empowering Diverse Fusion Endeavors
While CFS’s primary mission remains focused on developing its own fusion devices, including the highly anticipated SPARC tokamak, the company recognizes the broader potential of its revolutionary magnet technology.
SPARC, a compact and high-field device currently under construction, is envisioned as a stepping stone towards the first commercially viable fusion power plant, ARC. It’s designed to produce 50-100 MW of fusion power, exceeding energy input and achieving a fusion gain greater than 10.
CFS, an MIT spinout company, asserts that the technology underpinning SPARC’s powerful magnets can substantially enhance other applications in the fusion realm and beyond.
Several companies have approached CFS, drawn by its world-class expertise in designing, developing, and manufacturing high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets.
Unlocking Commercial Opportunities
Rick Needham, CFS Chief Commercial Officer, highlighted the company’s capabilities, stating, “We have the capacity to create some of the most powerful magnets globally. Designing and building these magnets for diverse applications presents a commercial opportunity potentially worth billions of dollars.”
Collaboration for Next-Generation Magnets
In 2019, the University of Wisconsin sought CFS’s assistance in acquiring advanced magnet technology for its WHAM (Wisconsin HTS Axisymmetric Mirror) experiment.
Through joint efforts and funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E), they conceptualized and optimized magnet designs for a new era of magnetic mirror devices.
This collaboration resulted in a system comprising two identical, flat, and thin magnets capable of achieving a magnetic field of 17 tesla within the bore and over 20 tesla on the magnets themselves – an intensity roughly 400,000 times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field.
Proprietary Technology and Turnkey Solutions
The superconducting magnets for WHAM were designed and constructed at CFS’s headquarters in Devens, Massachusetts.
Their proprietary magnet technology, based on thin and flexible HTS tape, enables exceptionally high electrical currents, which in turn generate remarkably strong magnetic fields.
These magnets are self-contained systems encompassing all necessary functions, including cryogenic refrigeration, vacuum pumping, control, and monitoring – a complete turnkey solution provided by CFS.
Advancing Magnetic Mirror Fusion
WHAM is anticipated to generate the world’s most powerful magnetic field for a mirror plasma. This experiment will play a crucial role in validating computer models used to design even more potent magnetic mirror devices, potentially leading to their future application as fusion power plants.