Critical FLiBe molten salt moves closer to commercial use in fusion power plants

Two Japanese companies have joined their forces to develop fusion-grade FLiBe, which is a critical molten salt that can help bring commercial fusion power plants closer to reality. Nagoya-based ceramics producer NGK Corporation and Tokyo fusion technology company Kyoto Fusioneering (KF) signed the deal on July 16. The companies will now work together to create and commercialize FLiBe, a molten salt made from lithium fluoride (LiF) and beryllium fluoride (BeF2). FLiBe is both a nuclear reactor coolant and a solvent for fertile or fissile materials. The companies will produce, refine, and test the molten salt. They will also build the circulation systems needed to use it in commercial fusion reactors. The deal will support the supply chain necessary for commercial fusion power. “At Kyoto Fusioneering, we are working to establish fundamental technology needed to bring fusion energy into practical use at the earliest possible stage,” Kiyoshi Seko, Kyoto Fusioneering president and COO, said. Powering future reactors First used in the 1960s at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee, FLiBe is a specialized molten salt coolant and fuel solvent. It is prized in advanced nuclear reactors for its safety, high thermal capacity, and low-pressure operation. It can perform several critical functions at the same time. Apart from transferring heat away from the reactor, the molten salt can breed tritium, an essential fuel for sustaining fusion reactions. This makes FLiBe well suited for future fusion reactors. Still, several technical limitations have slowed its commercial use. FLiBe contains beryllium, a rare material that requires specialized safety procedures, purification methods, and quality control throughout production and operation. To address the issue, the two companies have now combined their expertise. NGK became Japan’s first manufacturer to industrialize beryllium copper in 1958. It has since focused on beryllium processing, refining, analysis and safe handling. Kyoto Fusioneering will provide fusion engineering support. This includes plasma heating systems, thermal-hydraulic analysis, tritium breeding, as well as recovery technologies, and overall reactor design. The FLiBe advantage As part of the deal, the Tokyo company will lead the engineering, procurement, and construction of a FLiBe production and refining facility. It will reportedly be located at NGK’s existing beryllium facility. Meanwhile, NGK will oversee facility operations and safety management. The two partners also aim to create fusion-grade FLiBe to reduce corrosion and material activation during long-term reactor operation. The finished material will be evaluated with Kyoto Fusioneering’s FLiBe Research Japan Advanced (FREJA) Loop. The testing platform that can verify whether FLiBe meets the demanding quality and performance requirements of fusion applications. Takeshi Otsu, NGK’s vice president and head of business development, stated that the firms will combine their strengths in beryllium handling and FLiBe technology to support the development of commercial fusion energy. Together, the companies aim to engineer the infrastructure needed for practical fusion energy. The deal additionally backs NGK’s 2050 carbon-neutral strategy. “We will continue to advance technology development toward the societal implementation of FLiBe-related technology and contribute to making fusion energy a reality,” Otsu concluded in a press release.Recommended ArticlesGet the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Based in Skopje, North Macedonia. Her work has appeared in Daily Mail, Mirror, Daily Star, Yahoo, NationalWorld, Newsweek, Press Gazette and others. She covers stories on batteries, wind energy, sustainable shipping and new discoveries. When she's not chasing the next big science story, she's traveling, exploring new cultures, or enjoying good food with even better wine.