Thesis Work - Fusion energy – Technical challenges for fusion based power production

Fusion energy has been a research field funded by public research programs for decades, often through international consortia and with long development horizons. In recent years, however, a clear shift has emerged. Numerous private fusion companies have been established, primarily financed through private capital, with strong expectations of rapid technological progress and commercialization of fusion power. For Vattenfall, it is important to understand both the opportunities and challenges associated with this technology in order to assess what is required for commercial fusion power to become a reality.

The purpose of this thesis project is to take a deep dive into some of the technical challenges that must be solved to enable commercial fusion power production. Two suggested focus areas are:

Fuel injection. How can fuel be supplied to the reactor in a way that sustains a fusion reaction capable of delivering sufficient energy production over time?
Energy extraction. How can the energy released from fusion plasma be extracted and converted into electricity generation?
The objective of the thesis work is to identify the most promising technical solutions based on publicly available information, analyze and assess their technical maturity, and evaluate what will be required for successful implementation. The study should include simplified energy and process calculations.