Slurry blankets for D-T fusion reactors

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5402621

Kasturirangan, T M

A brief overview of the blanket design problem is followed by a general model for fusion power plants based on tritium material balances. This model is used to determine the relationships between important design parameters including doubling time, plant tritium inventory, tritium breeding ratio, and tritium burn rate. A novel concept, the Poor Blanket is then described along with the results of neutron transport calculations that indicate that slurries of Li/sub 2/O particles in molten flibe (LiF-BeF/sub 2/) would provide adequate tritium breeding rates. A preliminary design study of a Pool Blanket is reported for a spheromak reactor in which a Li/sub 2/O slurry is both a breeder and the heat transfer medium. Laboratory experiments indicate that the tritium would exist primarily in the molten salt phase. The results of these studies indicate that the Pool Blanket with a slurry breeder would be an attractive choice for first generation fusion reactors. Calculations of the tritium breeding ratios for slurries of Li/sub 2/O in molten LiF-NaF (a salt that is less toxic than those that contain Be) indicate that such systems merit further investigation. A brief study of neutron multipliers for fusion reactor blankets indicates that Be is by far the best material in that respect. Finally, the results of some density and viscosity measurements for slurries of Li/sub 2/O in molten flibe are reported.

• Research Organization: Princeton Univ., NJ (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5402621
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700201* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Blanket Engineering
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
BREEDING BLANKETS
CHALCOGENIDES
D-T REACTORS
DESIGN
DISPERSIONS
FLIBE
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM OXIDES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MIXTURES
MOLTEN SALTS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
SALTS
SLURRIES
SUSPENSIONS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS