Serpent neutronics model of Wendelstein 7-X for 14.1 MeV neutrons

Journal Article · Mon Feb 22 00:00:00 EST 2021 · Fusion Engineering and Design

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2021.112347· OSTI ID:1774480

Wurden, Glen Anthony ^[1]; Akaslompolo, Simppa ^[2]; Koschinsky, Jan Paul ^[3]; Kontula, Joona ^[2]; Biedermann, Christoph ^[3]; Bozhenkov, Sergey ^[3]; Kurki-Suonio, Taina ^[2]; Leppanen, Jaakko ^[4]; Snicker, Antti ^[2]; Wolf, Robert ^[3]; Wendelstein, Team ^[5]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
2. Aalto Univ., Otaniemi (Finland)
3. Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, Greifswald (Germany)
4. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (Finland)
5. Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, Greifswald

In this work, a Serpent 2 neutronics model of the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator is prepared, and an response function for the Scintillating-Fibre neutron detector (SciFi) is calculated using the model. The neutronics model includes the simplified geometry for the key components of the stellarator itself as well as the torus hall. The objective of the model is to assess the 14.1 MeV neutron flux from deuteron-triton fusions in W7-X, where the neutrons are modelled only until they have slowed down to 1 MeV energy. The key messages of this article are: demonstration of unstructured mesh geometry usage for stellarators, W7-X in particular; technical documentation of the model and first insights in fast neutron behaviour in W7-X, especially related to the SciFi: the model indicates that the superconducting coils are the strongest scatterers and block neutrons from large parts of the plasma. The back-scattering from e.g. massive steel support structures is found to be small. The SciFi will detect neutrons from an extended plasma volume in contrast to having an effective line-of-sight.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC). Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) (SC-24)
• Contributing Organization: W7-X Team
• Grant/Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001
• OSTI ID: 1774480
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 23194891
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--21-22562
• Journal Information: Fusion Engineering and Design, Journal Name: Fusion Engineering and Design Vol. 167; ISSN 0920-3796
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 MeV
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
Magnetic Fusion Energy
Neutronics
scattering
triton burnup