The 15th International Symposium on Fusion Nuclear Technology (ISFNT-15) has taken place in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain on September 10-15, 2023. HB11 Energy was represented by Lead Scientist Prof. Dimitri Batani and Researcher Marine Huault, from the University of Salamanca.
The ISFNT-15 is one of the main international events for the nuclear fusion field and offers the opportunity for the fusion community to meet, discuss new ways to address complex problems and find advanced solutions in nuclear fusion technologies. The development of energy from fusion has now acquired an increasingly important role worldwide due to the energy crisis and the need for a transition from fossil fuels. With the goal of accelerating electricity production through fusion, the symposium focuses on both near-term and long-term fusion devices and reactor technologies, with special attention given to science, engineering, experiments, facilities, modelling, analysis, design and safety.
The recent breakthrough obtained at the National Ignition Facility was highlighted in several talks and a specific session on inertial fusion was held for the first time at this conference. The advancements and the challenges of proton boron fusion, including the activity of the COST Action PROBONO, were also discussed in several talks.
A special Industry Info. Day was organised on Tuesday September 12 for identifying and demonstrating upcoming requirements and business opportunities in fusion-related projects such as ITER, IFMIF-DONES, EUROFusion, DEMO and other public or private initiatives. There have been specific talks on the most relevant fusion technologies and their associated challenges, such as remote handling, machine assembly, plasma heating systems and blankets and material technologies. In the second part of the Industry Info. Day, information on the most promising private initiatives in magnetic and inertial fusion was presented, exploring new collaborative approaches between industry and research labs. acting in the fusion ecosystem.
On this day, Dimitri Batani presented the status of research on inertial fusion in Europe and also the perspectives of research on proton boron fusion and the activities of HB11 Energy. The following day, Marine Huault presented results obtained during an HB11 experiment on proton boron fusion performed at CLPU in Salamanca using the PW laser VEGA III. The objective of the experiment was the study of laser-driven proton boron fusion using a high-intensity short-pulse laser, working at high intensity. Different novel diagnostics were tested (including the detection of gamma rays produced by secondary nuclear reactions) and new materials that may be used as targets (both in direct irradiation and in pitcher-catcher configuration).
