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Fusion--fission hybrids: a subcritical thermal fission lattice for a D--T fusion reactor

Conference ·
OSTI ID:4327125
;
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. A blanket for a D-T thermonuclear plasma which contains fissile material offers the opportunity for multiplication of the D-T source neutron strength and increased thermal energy through the use of fission energy. A particular type of such fusion-fission hybrid system was studied in which the fissile blanket is essentially a nuclearly subcritical thermal fissionreactor lattice. The thermal fission lattice was a graphitemoderated helium-cooled lattice whose initial fuel was natural or slightly enriched uranium. The results of this study indicate that this type of hybrid exhibits a high potential for a viable power plant while utilizing plasma characteristics that are an order of magnitude or more less stringent than the break-even conditions for a pure fusion reactor. The potential benefit of the hybrid system is the ability to use fission energy in a subcritical reactor at a time when D-T plasma characteristics do not yet allow a viable power plant in a nonhybrid device. The results of this study indicate another benefit in the potential for full utilization of the fissile and fertile energy reserves in hybrid systems. (auth)
Research Organization:
Battelle Memorial Inst., Richland, WA; Texas Univ., Austin (USA)
NSA Number:
NSA-29-030988
OSTI ID:
4327125
Report Number(s):
CONF-721111--
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

*THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS-- FISSION
BREEDING BLANKETS
COOLANTS
DEUTERIUM
HELIUM
N70800* --Physics--Controlled Thermonuclear Research-- Thermonuclear Engineering & Equipment
SPECIFICATIONS
TRITIUM
URANIUM 235