Supply and demand of tungsten in a fleet of fusion power plants

Abstract

To enable the widespread adoption of nuclear fusion power plants, a reliable tungsten supply chain is essential for plasma-facing and radiation shielding components in spherical and D-shaped tokamaks. The ARIES-ST and EU-DEMO1 design points were used as the basis for neutronic modelling to evaluate tungsten consumption during 40 full-power years (fpy) at 500MWth and 2,000MWth fusion powers. Four materials were considered for radiation shielding: ITER Grade W, tungsten carbide (WC), tungsten boride (W₂B), and WC/Co. In spherical tokamaks, the central column radiation shielding, due to its proximity to the plasma, was found to be the primary consumer of tungsten. In contrast, the EU-DEMO1 design demonstrated minimal consumption by the shield due to increased reactor volume and shielding via the breeder blanket. Over 40 fpy, the ARIES-ST reactor consumed 4,231 tonnes of tungsten at 500MWth and 29,034 tonnes at 2,000MWth, while EU-DEMO1 consumed 3,945 tonnes at 500MWth and 9,554 tonnes at 2,000MWth, with the 2,000MWth EU-DEMO1 model being the most material efficient design in the context of a reactor roll out model. Three tungsten supply scenarios were explored, highlighting the need for new mining resources by the mid-2040s to ensure a sustainable supply for fusion plants by 2100. If the UK or US were to operate fusion power fleets without domestic tungsten sources, their supply would likely fall drastically short without heavy investment and expansion.