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August 2026
Latest News
Second round of Launch Pad selections includes eight newcomers
The National Reactor Innovation Center at Idaho National Laboratory has announced 13 project selections across 12 companies for the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad, a Department of Energy–led program that integrates reactor and fuel facility authorization, testing, and deployment support for private nuclear developers.
The Launch Pad emerged from the Reactor Pilot Program and Fuel Line Pilot Program.
According to INL, projects selected include reactor development and nuclear fuel cycle advancements, including fabrication, enrichment, and conversion technologies.
P. T. Lang, B. Ploeckl, R. Fischer, M. Griener, M. Kircher, O. Kudlacek, G. Phillips, B. Sieglin, S. Yamamoto, W. Treutterer, AUG Team
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 78 | Number 1 | January 2022 | Pages 1-9
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2021.1940034
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Fuel injection by means of solid cryogenic pellets is expected to provide a sound and efficient tool. Hence, the installation of a pellet launching system will be a necessity. Yet, pellets are considered as a serviceable actuator for integrated supplementary functions as, e.g., fast and efficient delivery of seeding gas, or in case needed, the pacing of edge-localized modes. Consequently, a control scheme has to be developed that is capable of mastering the simultaneous actuations covering different tasks. Our scheme relies on pellet launching by a centrifuge accelerator, providing the option for precisely predictable pellet injection sequences. In order to develop a suitable actuator control scheme, as a first step the central part was brought into service at ASDEX Upgrade. It proved operational for feedback particle flux control of a single pellet source. In a subsequent step, it is now upgraded to enable multitasked control of the JT-60SA multipellet source currently under construction. In its finally designated configuration, this control scheme provides a potential solution for a reactor-grade system.