Nuclear performance optimization of the molten salt fusion breeder
The fusion breeder program is investigating the potential of producing fissile fuels with fusion neutrons. This paper reports on refined nuclear analysis, including the treatment of resonance and spatial self-shielding, coupled with an optimization procedure, of a 1985 molten salt fusion breeder design. The blanket of this tandem mirror-based fusion breeder contains beryllium pebbles for neutron multiplication, molten salt in steel tubes for tritium and /sup 233/U breeding, and is cooled by helium. Results of this work are encouraging. The effect of using a more rigorous method to treat spatial self-shielding, potentially deleterious, are mostly overcome by optimization. With 3 vol% steel structure in addition to the salt tubes, specific breeding (F/sub net//M) is maximized at 33 vol% salt with a net fissile breeding ratio (F/sub net/) of 0.63, a tritium breeding ratio, T, of 1.06, and a blanket energy multiplication, M, of 1.91. The 6% excess in tritium breeding accounts for less than full blanket coverage and tritium decay. The initial estimate for this blanket concept was F/sub net/ = 0.6 and M = 1.6 at a salt volume fraction of 5%.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA
- OSTI ID:
- 5577592
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-860610-
- Journal Information:
- Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 52; ISSN TANSA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Nuclear performance optimization of the molten-salt fusion breeder
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Related Subjects
700201* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Blanket Engineering
A CODES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BREEDING BLANKETS
BREEDING RATIO
COMPUTER CODES
CONVERSION RATIO
HYBRID REACTORS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
MOLTEN SALTS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
OPTIMIZATION
PERFORMANCE
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
SALTS
SHIELDING
T CODES
TANDEM MIRRORS
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TRITIUM
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES