Neutronics analysis for the moving ring fusion reactor,KARIN-1

Monte Carlo calculations on the tritium breeding ratio in the blanket and the heating rate in the first wall were carried out for moving ring reactor, KARIN-1. The blanket adopted in this calculation consists of a 2-cm thick silicon carbide (SiC) first wall, a 25-cm thick lithium (Li) layer, and a 10-cm thick lithium oxide (Li₂O) layer. It was found that the tritium breeding ratio in the blanket and the heating rate in the first wall are changing cyclically with a 1 s period. The maximum tritium breeding ratio obtained is 1.12, the minimum is 1.01, and the average value over a 1 s period is 1.10. As for the heating rate at the center of the burning section, the maximum is ～26 W/cc, the minimum ～10 W/cc, the average ～ 15 W/cc, and the ratio of the maximum to the minimum is ～2.6. The corresponding values at the entrance of the burning section are ～24 W/cc, ～4 W/cc, ～12 W/cc, and ～6.7, respectively. These results provide the basic information for thermal and mechanical design of the reactor system.     

Fission-suppressed blankets for fissile fuel breeding fusion reactors

Two blanket concepts for deuterium-tritium (DT) fusion reactors are presented which maximize fissile fuel production while at the same time suppress fission reactions. By suppressing fission reactions, the reactor will be less hazardous, and therefore easier to design, develop, and license. A fusion breeder operating a given nuclear power level can produce much more fissile fuel by suppressing fission reactions. The two blankets described use beryllium for neutron multiplication. One blanket uses two separate circulating molten salts: one salt for tritium breeding and the other salt for U-233 breeding. The other uses separate solid forms of lithium and thorium for breeding and helium for cooling.Nuclear power is the sum of fusion (D + T 14 MeV neutron+ 3.5 MeV alpha) power plus additional power from neutron-induced reactions in the blanket.     

Neutronic optimization for a blanket of the laser fusion reactor,SENRI-I

Neutronic calculations were performed to optimize the SENRI blanket in terms of energy multiplication as well as tritium breeding ratio. The blanket employs a thick ( 64-cm) Li layer as breeder/coolant. Three approaches were taken here to achieve the goal: (1) reduction of⁶Li in the lithium, (ii) replacement of the Li layer by a molten-salt (flibe) layer, and (iii) shipment of excess tritium to a nonbreeding blanket. It was found that the excess tritium produced in the SENRI blanket could be used effectively to obtain additional power by fueling a nonbreeding D-T reactor.     

Hydrogen Permeation through Incoloy-800

The poloidal distribution of the first wall 14 MeV neutron flux and the tritium breeding ratio in a Tokamak fusion reactor were calculated using Monte Carlo method. The poloidal distribution of the 14 MeV neutron flux in the first wall was found to be quite different from that of the primary incident flux. The tritium breeding ratio calculated by the Monte Carlo method became about 5% larger than the value obtained from S_N transport calculations.     

Waste management strategy focused on maintenance,storage and recycling

Waste is generated at the moment when the operation of a fusion reactor is halted and maintenance is started for periodic replacement of blanket modules and divertor. Used blanket and divertor need to be replaced shortly after the shutdown for high plant availability, as long as high surface dose rate and decay heat of the blanket and divertor can be handled. In this sense, nuclear characteristics of the blanket and divertor need to be understood for a reasonable maintenance scheme. For the purpose, neutronic calculations were carried out on the blanket and divertor using a THIDA-2 code with FENDL-2.0. For a SlimCS DEMO reactor, the calculated decay heat for each 1/12-sector was as high as 5 MW just after the shutdown and 0.3 MW one month later. For the maintenance, a cooled shielding structure (CSS) was proposed to remove the decay heat and to shield gamma-rays from the sector. When maintenance is done one month after the shutdown, the sector temperature is maintained to be 550 °C or lower with the cooling by the CSS of 50 °C. In order to avoid tritium release from the sector during the maintenance, a cask should be used to transport the sector. For efficient use of resources, breeding and neutron multiplying materials should be reused or recycled. A possible strategy for reuse or recycle is also presented.     

Effect of Nuclear Data Libraries on Tritium Breeding in a (D–T) Fusion Driven Reactor

In design a Deuterium–Tritium (D–T) fusion driven hybrid reactor, neutronics and nuclear data libraries have an essential role for reliable neutronics calculations. Therefore, nuclear data libraries are very important to calculate of the neutronic parameters and selection of tritium breeder materials to be used in the blanket. In this study tritium breeding performances of candidate tritium breeding materials, namely, Li₂O, LiH, Li₂TiO₃, Li₂ZrO₃ and Li₄SiO₄ in a (D–T) driven fusion–fission (hybrid) reactor is investigated based on three dimensional (3-D) and one dimensional (1-D) neutronic calculations. 3-D and 1-D neutron transport calculations are performed with Monte Carlo transport code (MCNP 4C), SCALE 5 and ANISN nuclear data codes to determine the tritium breeding ratio (TBR) of the blanket. The effects of different nuclear data libraries on TBR are examined and TBR calculation results are comparatively investigated.     

Neutronic analysis of an inertial fusion energy breeder with SiCf/SiC

Neutronic performance of a blanket driven ICF (Inertial confinement fusion) neutron based on SiC_f/SiC composite material is investigated for fissile fuel breeding. The investigated blanket is fueled with ThO₂ and cooled with natural lithium or (LiF)₂BeF₂ or Li₁₇Pb₈₃ or ⁴He coolant. MCNP4B Code is used for calculations of neutronic data per DT neutron. Calculations have show that values of TBR (tritium breeding ratio) being one of the main neutronic paremeters of fusion reactors are greater than 1.05 in all type of coolant, and the breeder hybrid reactor is self-sufficient in the tritium required for the DT fusion driver. Calculations show that natural lithium coolant blanket has the highest TBR (1.298) and M (fusion energy multiplication) (2.235), Li₁₇Pb₈₃ coolant blanket has the highest FFBR (fissile fuel breeding ratio) (0.3489) and NNM (net neutron multiplication) (1.6337). ⁴He coolant blanket has also the best Γ (peek-to-average fission power density ratio) (1.711). Values of neutron leakage out of the blanket in all type of coolants are quite low due to SiC reflector and B₄C shielding.     

Optimized fissile and fusile breeding in a laser-fusion fissile-enrichment flux trap blanket

Optimization of fissile and fusile production in the SOLASE-H laser-fusion fissile-enrichment fuel-factory blanket is carried out. The objective is maximizing fissile breeding with the constraints of maintaining self-sufficiency in tritium production, and realistically accounting in the modeling for structural and coolant compositions and configurations imposed by the thermal-hydraulic and mechanical designs. The effect of radial and axial blanket zone thicknesses on fusile and fissile breeding is studied using a procedure which modifies the zones' effective optical thicknesses, rather than the actual three-dimensional geometrical configurations. A tritium yield per source neutron of 1.08 and a Th (n, ) reaction yield per source neutron of 0.43 can be obtained in such a concept, where ThO₂ Zircaloy-clad fuel assemblies for light water reactors (LWRs) are enriched in the²³³U isotope by irradiating them in a lead flux trap. This corresponds to 0.77 kg/[MW(th)-year] of fissile fuel production, and 1.94 years of irradiation in the fusion reactor to attain an average 3 w/o fissile enrichment in the fuel assemblies. For a once-through LWR cycle, a support ratio of 2–3 is estimated. However, with fuel recycling, more attractive support ratios of 4–6 may be attainable for a conversion ratio of 0.55, and of 5–8 for a conversion ratio of 0.70. These estimates are lower than those reported, around 20, for related designs.     

Nuclear Analysis of Blanket/Shield Design for D-D Tokamak Fusion Reactor

A study is made of the nuclear characteristics of blanket/shield design intended for the D-D tokamak reactor incorporating a cooperative effort by the University of Illinois, Brookhaven National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. The reactor is characterized by high value of plasma beta (β=0.3) and low value of neutron wall loading (W _n =0.436 MW/m²). The 1 m-thick blanket is composed mainly of graphite, and the 1 m-thick shield is a combination of B₄C, Al and H₂O. Multi-dimensional calculations are carried out to confirm the results of one-dimensional calculation and to assess the problems inherent in the design.

Compared to blankets constituted of other materials, the graphite blanket possesses the characteristics of much smaller residual radioactivity, afterheat and biological hazard potential, which could possibly more than offset the lower nuclear heating that can be provided. The design requirements for the magnet shield are satisfied by the present combination and thicknesses of blanket/shield materials.     

The UWMAK-II study: A conceptual design of a helium cooled, solid breeder, Tokamak fusion reactor system

UWMAK-II is a conceptual design study of a low ß, circular Tokamak fusion power reactor. The aim of the study has been to perform a self-consistent analysis of a probable future fusion power system based on the philosophy that design decisions, wherever possible, should be conservative and should be based on present technology. As such, this system will not be the smallest, the least expensive, or the optimum Tokamak reactor. Rather, it represents a feasible system which we use to assess the technological problems uncovered and to examine possible solutions. The plasma is designed to generate 5000 MW(th) during a pulse and 1709 MW(e) continuously based upon a burn cycle with a 90 min burn and a 6.5 min rejuvenation period. The plasma carries a current of 14.9 MA and is designed with a double null poloidal divertor for impurity control and particle pumping. In addition, a low Z liner in the form of a carbon curtain is included to eliminate any source of high Z impurities. Plasma heating to ignition involves the use of neutral beam heating for a 10 sec period during which 200 MW of 500 keV deuterium atoms are injected into the plasma.The blanket design employs helium cooling and the solid lithium-bearing compound, lithium aluminate (Li₂Al₂O₄) for breeding tritium. The structural material is 316 stainless steel and beryllium is used as a neutron multiplier. The neutron radiation environment produces radiation damage that considerably influences blanket and system performance. The most significant effect is the loss of ductility which appears to limit the usable lifetime of the blanket first wall to about 2 yr at a 14 MeV neutron wall loading of 1.16 MW/m². The solid breeder blanket minimizes the tritium inventory but because of the low fractional burnup in the plasma and the need for roughly a one day reserve of fuel, the inventory is 17.7 kg. Induced radioactivity levels in the structure are of the order of 1 Ci/W(th) at shutdown after two years of operation. The main contributors to the activity are ) and ). Afterheat levels are slightly above 1% of thermal power but the afterheat power density is low, less than 0.1 w/g. The power cycle involves a He---Na intermediate heat exchanger followed by a sodium—steam system. The sodium intermediary is used to minimize tritium leakage through the power cycle and to provide a working fluid for thermal energy storage such that continuous electrical output is produced despite a pulse plasma cycle. A materials resource study has been completed for a UWMAK-II type system and beryllium appears to present a particular problem with regard to adequate resources. Other materials that could present problems of procurement include chromium and nickel. A preliminary economic analysis has been carried out to identify major cost areas and this is described.     

Neutronic analysis of PROMETHEUS reactor fueled with various compounds of thorium and uranium

In this study, neutronic performance of the DT driven blanket in the PROMETHEUS-H (heavy ion) fueled with different fuels, namely, ThO₂, ThC, UO₂, UC, U₃Si₂ and UN is investigated. Helium is used as coolant, and SiC is used as cladding material to prevent fission products from contaminating coolant and direct contact fuel with coolant in the blanket. Calculations of neutronic data per DT fusion neutron are performed by using SCALE 4.3 Code. M (energy multiplication factor) changes from 1.480 to 2.097 depending on the fuel types in the blanket under resonance-effect. M reaches the highest value in the blanket fueled with UN. Therefore, the investigated reactor can produce substantial electricity in situ. UN has the highest value of ²³⁹Pu breeding capability among the uranium fuels whereas UO₂ has the lowest one. ²³⁹Pu production ratio changes from 0.119 to 0.169 according to the uranium fuel types, and ²³³U production values are 0.125 and 0.140 in the blanket fueled with ThO₂ and ThC under resonance-effect, respectively. Heat production per MW (D,T) fusion neutron load varies from 1.30 to 7.89 W/cm³ in the first row of fissile fuel breeding zone depending on the fuel types. Heat production attains the maximum value in the blanket fueled with UN. Values of TBR (tritium breeding ratio) being one of the most important parameters in a fusion reactor are greater than 1.05 for all type of fuels so that tritium self-sufficiency is maintained for DT fusion driver. Values of peak-to-average fission power density ratio, Γ, are in the range of 1.390 and ∼1.476 depending on the fuel types in the blanket. Values of neutron leakage out of the blanket for all fuels are quite low due to SiC reflector. The maximum neutron leakage is only ∼0.025. Consequently, for all cases, the investigated reactor has high neutronic performance and can produce substantial electricity in situ, fissile fuel and tritium required for (D,T) fusion reaction.     

CFETR氦冷陶瓷增殖包层中子学分析

为满足中国聚变工程实验堆(CFETR)包层的应用要求,本文提出氦冷陶瓷增殖(HCCB)包层方案。为验证HCCB包层设计方案的合理性与可行性,采用三维蒙特卡罗粒子输运程序MCNP,计算和分析了HCCB包层方案的氚增殖比、中子壁负载、中子通量密度、核热、辐照损伤等中子学特性。结果表明,HCCB包层方案满足氚自持要求,中子通量密度和核热分布合理,屏蔽性能良好,基本满足设计要求。     

Effect of Lithium Enrichment on the Tritium Breeding Characteristics of Various Breeders in a Fusion Driven Hybrid Reactor

Selection of lithium containing materials is very important in the design of a deuterium–tritium (DT) fusion driven hybrid reactor in order to supply its tritium self-sufficiency. Tritium, an artificial isotope of hydrogen, can be produced in the blanket by using the neutron capture reactions of lithium in the coolants and/or blanket materials which consist of lithium. This study presents the effect of lithium-6 enrichment in the coolant of the reactor on the tritium breeding of the hybrid blanket. Various liquid–solid breeder couples were investigated to determine the effective breeders. Numerical results pointed out that the tritium production increased with increasing lithium-6 enrichment for all cases.     

Measurement of tritium production rate distribution in natural LiAlO2/HDPE assembly irradiated by D-T neutrons

A neutronics experiment was performed to measure the tritium production rate (TPR) profile in the breeder assembly with LiAlO₂ as breeder and high density polyethylene (HDPE) as neutron reflector. The breeder assembly was irradiated with 14 MeV neutrons from DT neutron generator at IPR Neutronics Laboratory. The objective of the experiment was to validate the tritium production prediction capability of the Monte-Carlo code MCNP and FENDL 2.1 data library. The tritium production rate profile in the breeding assembly was measured by irradiating Li₂CO₃ pellets kept at various locations and then tritium counting liquid scintillation technique. Experiment was analyzed with 3D Monte-Carlo code MCNP with FENDL 2.1 cross-section data library. The calculation results were found to agree with the measured tritium production rates except one point near to the source. This experiment is a starting experiment in the series of benchmark experiments for the Indian Demo breeding blanket.     

聚变-裂变混合能源堆球模型参数敏感性分析

在聚变-裂变混合能源堆球模型基础上,使用蒙特卡罗方法中子学程序对中子源、铀水体积比、产氚区等相关参数进行了中子学的敏感性计算。分析了各参数对混合能源堆能量放大倍数M和氚增殖比TBR的影响,并总结其基本规律,为开展进一步的混合能源堆概念设计提供了重要参考。     

Neutronics Comparison Analysis of the Water Cooled Ceramics Breeding Blanket for CFETR

China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor(CFETR) is an ITER-like fusion engineering test reactor that is intended to fill the scientific and technical gaps between ITER and DEMO.One of the main missions of CFETR is to achieve a tritium breeding ratio that is no less than 1.2to ensure tritium self-sufficiency.A concept design for a water cooled ceramics breeding blanket(WCCB) is presented based on a scheme with the breeder and the multiplier located in separate panels for CFETR.Based on this concept,a one-dimensional(1D) radial built breeding blanket was first designed,and then several three-dimensional models were developed with various neutron source definitions and breeding blanket module arrangements based on the 1D radial build.A set of nuclear analyses have been carried out to compare the differences in neutronics characteristics given by different calculation models,addressing neutron wall loading(NWL),tritium breeding ratio(TBR),fast neutron flux on inboard side and nuclear heating deposition on main in-vessel components.The impact of differences in modeling on the nuclear performance has been analyzed and summarized regarding the WCCB concept design.     

Engineering studies for integration of the test blanket module (TBM) systems inside an ITER equatorial port plug

The European test blanket module (EU-TBM), first prototype of the breeding blanket concepts under development for the future DEMO power plant to produce the tritium, will be developed to be tested in three equatorial ports of ITER dedicated to this. The CEA Cadarache under the contract of Association EURATOM/CEA and in close relation with Association EURATOM/HAS works on the integration of the EU-TBM inside ITER tokamak.The installation of the TBM into the vacuum vessel is made with the help of a port plug, constituted with two components: the Shield module and the Port-Plug frame. The Shield module provides the neutron shielding inside the Port-Plug frame, which maintains in cantilever position the TBM and its shield module and closes the vacuum vessel port.This paper will describe the EU-TBM design and integration activities on the cooled shield module and on its interface with the TBM component. A particular attention, in term of thermal and mechanical studies, is dedicated to the design of the shield and test blanket module attachment, and also to the shield design and its internal cooling system.     

Development of the breeding blanket and shield model for the fusion power reactors system SYCOMORE

SYCOMORE, a fusion reactor system code based on a modular approach is under development at CEA. Within this framework, this paper describes the relevant sub-modules which have been implemented to model the main outputs of the breeding blanket and shield block of the system code: tritium breeding ratio, peak energy deposition in toroidal field coils, reactor layout and power deposition, blanket pressure drops and materials inventory.Blanket and shield requirements are calculated by several sub-modules: the blanket assembly and layout sub-module, the neutronic sub-module, the blanket design sub-module (thermal hydraulic and thermo-mechanic pre-design tool). A power flow module has also been developed which is directly linked to the blanket thermo-dynamic performances, which is not described in this paper.For the blanket assembly and layout and the blanket module design sub-modules, explicit analytic models have been developed and implemented; for the neutronic sub-module neural networks that replicate the results of appropriate simplified 1D and 2D neutronic simulations have been built. Presently, relevant model for the Helium Cooled Lithium Lead is available.Sub-modules have been built in a way that they can run separately or coupled into the breeding blanket and shield module in order to be integrated in SYCOMORE.In the paper, the objective and main input/output parameters of each sub-module are reported and relevant models discussed. The application to previous studied reactor models (PPCS model AB, DEMO-HCLL 2006–2007 studies) is also presented.     

Neutronics Calculations in Pellets and Blankets of Laser Fusion Reactor Concept SENRI-I

The neutronic properties of SENRI-I, a reference design of laser fusion reactor proposed by Institute of Engineering, Osaka University, are discussed on the basis of the one-dimensional neutron transport calculations in burning DT plasmas and blankets. The softening of the fusion neutron energy spectrum, the neutron heating and the neutron multiplication are studied and discussed for the compressed DT pellets with various thickness of fuel plasmas and lead or lead-polyethylene tampers.

The neutronic and thermal features in the blanket of the SENRI-I design are also examined. The tritium breeding ratio is high enough (~1.6), depending on the neutron energy spectrum from a pellet. The maximum temperature increase per 1,000 MJ DT fusion reactions is ~3°C in the inner liquid Li layer and ~1.5°C in the stainless steel first wall. A parametric study is also presented on the effect of varying the thickness of the inner Li blanket ΔRⁱ to examine the thickness required for the enough tritium breeding ratio and energy deposition.     

氦气、水和熔盐冷却的混合堆中子学性能研究

氦气、水、熔盐(Flibe)在强磁场中流动不存在严重的MHD问题,因此适合在基于磁约束的聚变-裂变混合堆中作为冷却剂.针对氦气、水、Flibe这3种冷却剂对混合堆包层中子学性能的影响进行研究,分析包层中能谱特点及燃料增殖特性.通过燃耗计算,研究氚增殖率(TBR)、能量倍增因子(M)、keff等随运行时间的变化.中子学输运采用三维蒙特卡罗程序MCNP.计算结果表明,不同的冷却剂对混合堆系统中子能谱影响很大:氦冷系统的能谱最硬,主要发生快中子裂变,氚增殖效果最好;水冷系统的能谱最软,产能最多,但需提高TBR;Flibe冷系统的能谱较硬,产能最少.