- Centre leverages decades of UK experience in designing,
building and operating diagnostics systems for fusion machines,
including JET and MAST Upgrade.
- DICE will be a hub for diagnostics knowledge, benefitting
global fusion partners and adjacent UK industries that require
precision diagnostics.
- DICE has secured contracts worth £10m so far.
The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has launched a national
centre to develop the advanced measurement technology needed to
make fusion energy a reality.
The Diagnostics Innovation Centre of Excellence (DICE), based at
UKAEA's Culham Campus in Oxfordshire, will strengthen the UK's
position as a world leader in fusion diagnostics – the
specialised systems that measure what is happening inside a
fusion machine.
Since opening, DICE has already secured contracts with 10
organisations, with a combined value of more than £10 million.
What does DICE do?
Fusion energy works by heating a gas called plasma to extreme
temperatures. To control this process safely, scientists need to
measure the plasma's temperature, density, shape and stability in
real time. This is what diagnostics systems do – and designing
them requires highly specialist knowledge.
DICE brings together experts with decades of experience in
designing, building and operating diagnostics systems for
machines including MAST Upgrade and JET (Joint European Torus),
which was the world's largest operational fusion machine. This
puts the UK's team among the most experienced in the world.
The centre will also explore how its technology can benefit other
industries, including medical research, opening up new commercial
opportunities beyond fusion.
David Croft, Head of DICE at UKAEA, said:
DICE's capabilities are growing steadily, with cutting-edge
equipment now installed in our laboratories. But the greatest
strength is our people. With decades of experience spanning
diagnostics design, build, installation, analysis and operation,
the DICE team provides expertise which is second to none.
Supporting UK growth and global collaboration
DICE will act as a hub for collaboration between UK industry,
international fusion partners, and other sectors that can benefit
from fusion-derived technologies. It will support supply chain
growth across the UK and help train the next generation of fusion
specialists.
Over time, DICE will play a central role in shaping the future of
fusion technology – both in the UK and around the world.
