Direct converter design for the MINIMARS tandem mirror reactor

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5637139

Luzzi, T E; Clarkson, I

Last year a system study was undertaken of the direct converter of the Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL) MINIMARS tandem mirror reactor. The goals of the study were twofold: (a) to recover the thermal energy at the highest possible coolant temperature and therefore at the highest possible thermal efficiency and (b) to design an inherently safe shutdown method in the event of a loss-of-coolant or loss-of-flow accident. Two coolants were investigated, water and gaseous helium, and the advantages and disadvantages of each were assessed. Helium was chosen as the baseline coolant mainly to satisfy the inherent safety goal. If a coolant element should fail, helium leaking into the reactor will immediately quench the plasma and, as it is chemically inert, will minimize the surface erosion of hot internal vessel elements.

• OSTI ID: 5637139
• Report Number(s): CONF-860610-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 52
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700207* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Power Conversion Systems
ACCIDENTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONVERSION
COOLANTS
CORROSION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY CONVERSION
FLUIDS
GASES
HELIUM
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LOSS OF COOLANT
MAGNETIC MIRROR TYPE REACTORS
MINIMARS REACTOR
NONMETALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RARE GASES
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTOR SHUTDOWN
SAFETY
SHUTDOWNS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
WATER