Application of fast breeder reactor experience to fusion-blanket studies

Conference · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EDT 1974

OSTI ID:4306400

Davey, W G

From international meeting on the technology of controlled thermonuclear fusion experiments and the engineering aspects of fusion reactors; Austin, Texas, USA (20 Nov 1972). In technology of controlled thermonuclear fusion experiments and the engineering aspects of fusion reactors. The neutronics and photonics aspects of fusion-blanket design differ from those of fast breeder reactors in that (1) the neutrons are of higher energy and are more forwardly directed, (2) the geometry is one of a reactor shield or blanket with no reactivity questions rather than a combined core-blanket geometry, and (3) the relative importance of photons and neutrons is very different owing to the absence of the very energetic fission process. Nevertheless, the basic requirements of both fusion and fast- fission reactors are identical in the broad aspects of the need for (1) neutron and photon cross sections, (2) complex computer codes to utilize these data, and (3) integral experiments to check and if necessary modify the cross sections and calculational techniques. It is therefore not surprising that the majority, or perhaps all, of the techniques needed for fusion-blanket design exist in, or can be developed from, fast breeder reactor techniques. In brief these are the extensions of the Evaluated Nuclear Data File cross-section library, the use of sophisticated many-group Monte Carlo, transport, and diffusion codes, and the experimental measurement of detailed neutron and gamma-ray spectra and key reaction rates in large simulations of the projected systems. The major pertinent techniques now available and probable extensions of these are briefly described and discussed. (auth)

• Research Organization: Univ. of Texas, Austin; Texas Univ., Austin (USA)
• NSA Number: NSA-29-030982
• OSTI ID: 4306400
• Report Number(s): CONF-721111--
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*BREEDING BLANKETS-- PHOTONUCLEAR REACTIONS
CROSS SECTIONS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
N70800* --Physics--Controlled Thermonuclear Research-- Thermonuclear Engineering & Equipment
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS