Model for the mechanical pellet-cladding interaction during power cycles
The use of solid breeders in blanket components of fusion reactors is necessitated by the need for tritium breeding, with avoidance of problems arising from liquid metal breeders; such as corrosion and MHD pressure drop. The material 9-C (low activation equivalent of HT-9) is used for the outside structure of the module, as well as for solid breeder pin cladding. The first wall is cooled with high velocity helium through coolant channels, while the pins are cooled by helium in a cross-flow configuration. The first zone is made up entirely of beryllium pins for neutron breeding, and then two solid breeder zones follow. In order to minimize maintenance time, a satisfactory configuration has to withstand transient phenomena associated with power-ramps and shutdowns while giving optimal thermomechanical performance in reasonable lifetime. These objectives can be reached by selecting suitable geometry and material specifications as well as prescribed temperature histories. Finding the minimal allowable ramp rate for startup is important from the economy of the operation, since overly conservative startup can amount to substantial percentage of the power cycle. In the stage of preliminary design the main concern is failure of the cladding due to high stresses or large total strains. The following analysis provides a simplified tool for design based on macroscopic mechanical interaction between the breeder and the cladding. The next most important effect to include in the analysis is phenomena associated with failure of materials at the micro-scale such as stress corrosion, creep fracture and fatigue.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AS03-80ER52061
- OSTI ID:
- 5481451
- Report Number(s):
- UCLA-ENG-8610; PPG-936; ON: DE86012862
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BREEDING BLANKETS
FUEL-CLADDING INTERACTIONS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
CHROMIUM-MOLYBDENUM STEELS
COOLANTS
HELIUM
LITHIUM OXIDES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
PELLETS
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CHROMIUM STEELS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RARE GASES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
STEELS
700201* - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Blanket Engineering