Japan's firm solves nuclear fusion fuel challenge with rare tritium recovery tech

Japan-based Kyoto Fusioneering is advancing a critical technology to address the challenge of continuous fuel supply for commercial fusion energy by developing a hydrogen recovery system focused on tritium extraction. Tritium, a rare hydrogen isotope essential for fusion reactors, cannot be mined and must be bred within the reactor using neutron reactions with a liquid lithium-lead (LiPb) alloy inside a “blanket module.” Kyoto Fusioneering’s proprietary Vacuum Sieve Tray (VST) technology enhances tritium extraction by dispersing the tritium-rich liquid metal into fine droplets within a vacuum chamber, significantly increasing surface area and enabling efficient gas recovery. Initial tests at the UNITY-1 facility use hydrogen and deuterium as stand-ins to validate the recovery principle. This VST technology is a key part of Kyoto Fusioneering’s broader Fusion Fuel Cycle System, designed to manage the entire fuel supply chain—from tritium recovery to storage and reinjection into the reactor. Data from UNITY-1 will guide the