ORNL fusion power demonstration study: the concept of the cassette blanket

Technical Report · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5318916· OSTI ID:5318916

Werner, R. W.

The cassette blanket introduces four major improvements in fusion reactor blanket design. These are: (1) the cassette itself which by design furnishes the key unit for simplification of blanket replacement and maintenance and also isolates the lithium moderator from the plasma by enveloping it in the coolant; (2) the concept of blanket zoning, which uses to advantage the fact that radiation damage to structure decreases exponentially with distance. With the use of cassettes in series, only the front fraction of the blanket, the first cassette, need be changed due to damage over the life of the plant; (3) the rectangular blanket concept, which recognizes that blankets must envelop the plasma but need not conform to plasma shape. With this rectangular geometry, cassettes may be installed or removed by simple linear motion between magnet coils; (4) internal tritium recovery, which uses a favorable temperature gradient and ''MHD-frozen'' lithium to diffuse tritium out of the cassette. Supporting calculations and illustrative cases are provided for these four areas using two coolants: helium and HITEC, a eutectic mixture of inorganic salts (potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, and sodium nitrite).

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn. (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5318916
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-5964
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700201* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Blanket Engineering
BREEDING BLANKETS
COOLANTS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DESIGN
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
HELIUM
MAINTENANCE
MOLTEN SALTS
NONMETALS
RARE GASES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REMOVAL
SALTS