Neutronics analysis for aqueous self-cooled fusion reactor blankets

Conference · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Fusion Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7190620

Embrechts, M J; Varsamis, G; Jaffa, R; Steiner, D; Deutsch, L; Gierszewski, P

The tritium breeding performance of several Aqueous Self-Cooled Blanket (ASCB) configurations for fusion reactors has been evaluated. The ASCB concept employs small amounts of lithium compound dissolved in light or heavy water to serve as both coolant and breeding medium. The inherent simplicity of this concept allows the development of blankets with minimal technological risk. The tritium breeding performance of the ASCB concept is a critical issue for this family of blankets. Contrary to conventional blanket designs there will be a significant contribution to the tritium breeding ratio (TBR) in the water coolant/breeder of duct shields, and the 3-D TBR will therefore be similar to the 1-D TBR. The tritium breeding performance of an ASCB for a MARS-like tandem mirror reactor and an ASCB based breeding-shield for the Next European Torus (NET) are assessed. Two design options for the MARS-like blanket are discussed. One design employs a vanadium first wall, and zircaloy for the structural material. The trade-offs between light water and heavy water cooling options for this zircaloy blanket are discussed. The second design option for MARS relies on the use of a vanadium alloy as the structural material, and heavy water as the coolant. It is demonstrated that both design options lead to low-activation blankets that allow class C burial. The breeder-shield for NET consists of a water-cooled stainless steel shield.

• Research Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180
• OSTI ID: 7190620
• Report Number(s): CONF-860652-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Fusion Technol.; (United States) Journal Volume: 10:3
• 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
ALLOYS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BREEDING
BREEDING BLANKETS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
COOLANTS
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
DESIGN
ELEMENTS
FIRST WALL
GROUND DISPOSAL
HEAVY WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MAGNETIC MIRROR TYPE REACTORS
MANAGEMENT
MARS REACTOR
MATERIALS
METALS
NET TOKAMAK
NEUTRON SPECTRA
NUCLEAR FUEL CONVERSION
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
SHIELDS
SPECTRA
STAINLESS STEELS
STEELS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR MATERIALS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR WALLS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
TIN ALLOYS
TOKAMAK TYPE REACTORS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRITIUM
VANADIUM
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS