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Engineering design of a direct-cycle steam-generating blanket for a long-pulse fusion reactor

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5983897

A comprehensive neutronics, thermohydraulic, and mechanical design of a tritium-breeding blanket for use by a conceptual long-pulse Reversed-Field Pinch Reactor (RFPR) is described. On the basis of constraints imposed by cost and the desire to use existing technology, a direct-cycle steam system and stainless-steel construction were used. For reasons of plasma stability, the RFPR blanket supports a 20-mm-thick copper first wall. Located behind the 1.5-m-radius first wall is a 0.50-m-thick stainless-steel blanket containing a granular bed of Li/sub 2/O through which flows low-pressure helium (0.1 MPa) for tritium extraction. Water/steam tubes radially penetrate this packed bed. The large thermal capacity and low thermal diffusivity of the Li/sub 2/O blanket are sufficient to maintain a nearly constant temperature during the approx. 25-s burn period (approx. 80% duty factor).

Research Organization:
Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
5983897
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-79-808; CONF-790802-5
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English