United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has launched a new tritium training course – taking place on 27 June 2023 – as part of its commitment to upskill the fusion industry.

The course is being launched for the wider fusion industry following a successful pilot course in April, which was attended by a team from private fusion company, First Light Fusion.

Tritium is a likely fuel of future fusion powerplants, which will combine the hydrogen isotopes of deuterium and tritium to generate electricity.

Managing, storing and supplying tritium fuel is vitally important for the commercialisation of fusion energy. UKAEA has been safely handling, processing and storing tritium for more than 40 years as part of its research into fusion energy.

The course will cover tritium’s chemical properties, behaviours and safety factors, before delving into tritium fuel cycle stages. It will also include the processes and equipment required within a tritium plant.

Hayley Taylor, Tritium Training, Development and Recruitment Manager for UKAEA, said: “UKAEA is committed to sharing our tritium knowledge to drive forward tritium research across the scientific and engineering community.

“Fusion energy has the potential to be a safe, low carbon and sustainable part of the world’s future energy supply. To make this happen, solutions must be found to address important challenges, such as supply, containment and quantification of tritium.”

UKAEA was pleased to recently host members of the First Light Fusion team for the successful pilot tritium training course.

Ryan Ramsey, Chief Operating Officer of First Light Fusion, said: “We recognise that training creates future capability in our growing team. Some of the skill sets we need are exceptionally niche and it’s difficult to find organisations that can train them. Being part of the Fusion Cluster has enabled an increase in collaboration as we all search to solve the challenge of fusion.

“The training that UKAEA has provided has been really impressive and our team gained a great deal from the tritium course. The content matched what we needed and the delivery was engaging and focused. We’re looking forward to continuing this part of our broader relationship going forward.”

Course attendees can speak with and learn from UKAEA tritium experts and will experience a tour of UKAEA’s tritium processing plant – providing a unique opportunity to see the real-world application of what they have just learned in the training room.

The one day, classroom-based course is applicable to industry, academia, start-ups, graduates, new starters, scientists, engineers and operators with a range of tritium knowledge. Organisations can also contact UKAEA to request bespoke sessions tailored to their areas of interest.

For more information about future course dates this Autumn and to sign up for the next course on Tuesday 27 June 2023, at UKAEA’s Culham Campus, please contact info@h3at.ukaea.uk