Physical investigation for neutron consumption and multiplication in fusion–fission hybrid test blanket module

Inelastic scattering of high energy fusion neutrons does affect the performance of fusion blanket based on the choice of different materials. It will also affect the behavior of source neutrons in a subcritical fusion fission hybrid blanket and consequently the transmutation and tritium breeding performance. A fusion fission hybrid test blanket module (HTBM) is designed which is presumed to be tested in a large sized tokamak and plasma neutron source is similar to ITER. In this preliminary design of HTBM the neutron source and loss factors are computed for the detailed neutronic performance analysis. The neutronic analysis of hybrid blanket module is performed for five different TRU fuel types: TRU-Zr, TRU-Mo, TRU-Oxide, TRU-Carbide and TRU-Nitride. In this module design, it is aimed to burn and transmute the TRU nuclides from high-level radioactive waste of PWR spent fuel. The effect of TiC reflector on transmutation and tritium breeding performance of HTBM is also quantified. MCNPX is used for neutronic computations. Neutron spectrum, capture to fission ratio and waste transmutation ratio of each fuel type are compared to evaluate their waste transmutation performance. Tritium breeding ratio is also compared for two coolant options: Li and LiPb eutectic.     

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.     

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.     

Nuclear analysis of a laser fusion reactor,SENRI-I

A neutronic analysis of the laser-driven inertial-confinement fusion reactor SENRI-I is presented. Three-dimensional Monte Carlo calculations were performed to examine the effects of laser beam ports on the flux distribution, tritium breeding ratio, thermal energy deposition in the blanket, and radiation streaming. A Monte Carlo code was also used for the time-dependent radiation-damage analysis accounting for the time of the flight spread of neutrons and the results are compared to the analysis for the HIBALL design. Induced radioactivity was estimated, based on the one-dimensional transport calculation and depletion analysis. The calculated results reveal the advantages of the SENRI-I design with a thick Li layer compared to other reactor systems employing a dry-wall scheme.     

Numerical Study on Effects of Fuel Mixture Fraction and Li-6 Enrichment on Neutronic Parameters of a Fusion–Fission Hybrid Reactor

This study presents the effects of mixture fractions of nuclear fuels (mixture of fissile–fertile fuels and mixture of two different fertile fuels) and ⁶Li enrichment on the neutronic parameters (the tritium breeding ratio, TBR, the fission rate, FR, the energy multiplication ratio, M, the fissile breeding rate, FBR, the neutron leakage out of blanket, L, and the peak-to-average fission power density ratio, Γ) of a deuterium–tritium (D–T) fusion neutron-driven hybrid blanket. Three different fertile fuels (²³²Th, ²³⁸U and ²⁴⁴Cm), and one fissile fuel (²³⁵U) were selected as the nuclear fuel. Two different coolants (pressurized helium and natural lithium) were used for the nuclear heat transfer out of the fuel zone (FZ). The Boltzmann transport equation was solved numerically for obtaining the neutronic parameters with the help of the neutron transport code XSDRNPM/SCALE4.4a. In addition, these calculations were performed by also using the MCNP4B code. The sub-limits of the mixture fractions and ⁶Li enrichment were determined for the tritium self-sufficiency. The considered hybrid reactor can be operated in a self-sufficiency mode in the cases with the fuel mixtures mixed with a fraction of equal to or greater than these sub-limits. Furthermore, the numerical results show that the fissile fuel breeding and fission potentials of the blankets with the helium coolant are higher than with the lithium coolant.     

Preliminary performance analysis and optimization based on 1D neutronics model for Indian DEMO HCCB blanket

India, under its breeding blanket R&D program for DEMO, is focusing on the development of two tritium breeding blanket concepts; namely the lead-lithium-cooled ceramic breeder and the helium-cooled ceramic breeder (HCCB). The study presented in this paper focuses on the neutronic design analysis and optimization from the tritium breeding perspective of the HCCB blanket. The Indian concept has an edge-on configuration and is one of the variants of the helium-cooled solid breeder blanket concepts proposed by several partner countries in ITER. The Indian HCCB blanket having lithium titanate (Li₂TiO₃) as the tritium breeder and beryllium (Be) as the neutron multiplier with reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steel structure aims at utilizing the low-energy neutrons at the rear part of the blanket. The aim of the optimization study is to minimize the radial blanket thickness while ensuring tritium self-sufficiency and provide data for further neutronic design and thermal-hydraulic layout of the HCCB blanket. It is found that inboard and outboard blanket thicknesses of 40 cm and 60 cm, respectively, can give a tritium breeding ratio (TBR) >1.3, with 60% ⁶Li enrichment, which is assumed to be sufficient to cover potential tritium losses and associated uncertainties. The results also demonstrated that the Be packing fraction (PF) has a more profound impact on the TBR as compared to 6Li enrichment and the PF of Li₂TiO₃.     

聚变-裂变混合堆外中子源效应

聚变-裂变混合堆(FFHR)作为聚变驱动次临界系统(FDS),具有良好的物理性能,能够实现产能、氚增殖、嬗变核废料等功能。采用COUPLE程序研究了水冷混合堆包层的铀水比和中子倍增剂对中子源效率的影响。结果表明:包层能谱越硬,外中子源效率越高;适当加入中子倍增剂Be可使外中子源效率增加。研究结果对进一步改进聚变-裂变混合堆的概念设计具有一定的指导意义。     

Neutronics and photonics of inertial confinement fusion pellets with internal breeding

The neutronics and photonics performance of a pellet with a small DT core spark trigger, surrounded by a large volume of D to enable tritium and He-3 breeding, is examined. The response to a 70% DD and 30% DT composite neutron spectrum is calculated using either W, Be, or Pb as structural materials at core density radius products ranging from 9.42 to 94.2 kg/m². At a core density-product of 94.2, the DT neutron source leads to an excess particle multiplication of 0.43 neutrons per source neutron. The percentage of energy leakage from the pellet in the form of escaped neutrons is 42.3% of the source energy for the DT source, and 28.8% for the DD source. The gamma-ray energy percentage deposited in the pellet is 26.7% for the DT source and 106.6% for the DD source. For the pellet with the composite source, the energy multiplication factor is 1.27. Thus the large DD contribution to the composite neutron source results in the pellet performing many of the functions normally reserved for the blanket such as spectral softening, breeding, and neutron and energy multiplication. The neutron energy leakage is 38.4% of the source energy for the composite source. It is estimated that the neutron energy leakage amounts to 10% of the fusion energy, compared with 70% as neutron energy in a DT pellet. These results are significantly different from those encountered in conventional DT inertial confinement designs, and thus lower tritium inventories, higher power densities, reduced radiation damage, and materials activation of the reactor coolant and structure may be achievable.     

Effect of Using Thorium Molten Salts on the Neutronic Performance of PACER

Utilization of nuclear explosives can produce a significant amount of energy which can be converted into electricity via a nuclear fusion power plant. An important fusion reactor concept using peaceful nuclear explosives is called as PACER which has an underground containment vessel to handle the nuclear explosives safely. In this reactor, Flibe has been considered as a working coolant for both tritium breeding and heat transferring. However, the rich neutron source supplied from the peaceful nuclear explosives can be used also for fissile fuel production. In this study, the effect of using thorium molten salts on the neutronic performance of the PACER was investigated. The computations were performed for various coolants bearing thorium and/or uranium-233 with respect to the molten salt zone thickness in the blanket. Results pointed out that an increase in the fissile content of the salt increased the neutronic performance of the reactor remarkably. In addition, higher energy production was obtained with thorium molten salts compared to the pure mode of the reactor. Moreover, a large quantity of ²³³U was produced in the blanket in all cases.     

Effects of lithium burn-up on TBR in DEMO reactor SlimCS

Lithium in a breeding blanket is burned up through neutron nuclear reactions in fusion DEMO reactors. Effects of decrease of solid breeder materials due to lithium burn-up on tritium breeding ratio (TBR) are not systematically calculated in the past. For the SlimCS blanket design, TBR is calculated taking into account the lithium burn-ups by one dimensional Sn radiation transport calculation code ANISN in this study. The ⁶Li burn-ups are 8–79% after 10-year operation. TBR due to ⁶Li decreases to 40% of the initial one in some layer, while it increases in some layers. The TBR integrated over all the blanket decreases to around 96% of the initial one. The study makes it clear that the reduction of the TBR due to the lithium burn-up is not so large.     

聚变堆交叉冷却固态包层中子学设计优化

针对聚变堆固态包层设计路线,提出了一个交叉排列氦冷固态包层概念。设计采用Be、Li₂TiO₃分层球床。两种尺寸的氦气冷却管道交叉排列,分两个回路同时冷却,以增加系统安全可靠性。分析比较了4种⁶Li富集度布置方案。结果表明：径向远离第一壁降低⁶Li富集度较为合理,靠近第一壁的增殖层⁶Li富集度不能过低,以减少长期运行中Li的消耗对氚增殖性能的影响。借助蒙特卡罗程序MCNP建立11.25°对称模型,全堆包层氚增殖率为1.176,包层寿期内产氚性能稳定,在包层寿命运行时间内的燃耗分布相对均匀。     

Monte Carlo calculation of radiation damage in first wall of an experimental hybrid reactor

This work was focused on the neutronic calculation of the nuclear parameters (neutron spectrum, displacement per atom (DPA), gas production, tritium breeding ratio (TBR), nuclear heating) for structural materials in the first wall (FW) and fuel clad (made of ferritic/martensitic steels, vanadium alloy, silicon carbide, copper alloy, and stainless steel) of an experimental hybrid reactor using the most current Monte Carlo Neutron-Particle Transport code MCNP5 1.4. Neutronic calculations were performed using a (DT) fusion driver hybrid reactor under a neutron wall loud of 2.25 MW/m² by full reactor power for one year. Obtained results were compared with three different data libraries (ENDF/B-V, ENDF/B-VI and CLAW-IV). TBR values in the reactor blanket for all investigated materials became greater than the minimum requirement (TBR > 1.05). Nuclear parameters like DPA, He-production and nuclear heating were considered as radiation damage limits for structural materials, copper alloy (Cu0.5Cr0.3Zr) showed better performance than all investigated materials.     

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.     

Tritium breeding control within liquid metal blankets

A key requirement for DEMO is the on-site breeding of tritium. In order to do this, a robust control system must be employed to ensure enough tritium is being bred to sustain the fusion reactor, whilst not breeding an amount which would exceed the plant's tritium inventory license. A tritium breeding method which is cost effective and reduces radioactive waste for disposal is that of the liquid metal breeder such as those based around LiPB and FLiBe. This paper focuses on the modeling of a simplified fusion reactor design with a LiPb blanket with linked radiation transport, nuclide burn-up and control theory. Two simple models were simulated using the FATI code which incorporated a PID (proportional integral derivative) controller that adjusted the Li6/Li7 ratio in order to increase/decrease tritium production based on the difference between the measured excess tritium inventory and the desired excess inventory. The modelling has initially demonstrated that a linear PID controller has the capability to manage tritium production within a LiPb liquid blanket.     

Neutronic analysis of Indian helium-cooled solid breeder tritium breeding module for testing in ITER

India has proposed the helium-cooled solid breeder blanket concept as a tritium breeding module to be tested in ITER. The module has lithium titanate for tritium breeding and beryllium for neutron multiplication. Beryllium also enhances tritium breeding. A design for the module is prepared for detailed analysis. Neutronic analysis is performed to assess the tritium breeding rate, neutron distribution, and heat distribution in the module. The tritium production distribution in submodules is evaluated to support the tritium transport analysis. The tritium breeding density in the radial direction of the module is also assessed for further optimization of the design. The heat deposition profile of the entire module is generated to support the heat removal circuit design. The estimated neutron spectrum in the radial direction also provides a more in-depth picture of the nuclear interactions inside the material zones. The total tritium produced in the HCSB module is around 13.87 mg per full day of operation of ITER, considering the 400 s ON time and 1400 s dwell time. The estimated nuclear heat load on the entire module is around 474 kW, which will be removed by the high-pressure helium cooling circuit. The heat deposition in the test blanket model (TBM) is huge (around 9 GJ) for an entire day of operation of ITER, which demonstrates the scale of power that can be produced through a fusion reactor blanket. As per the Brayton cycle, it is equivalent to 3.6 GJ of electrical energy. In terms of power production, this would be around 1655 MWh annually. The evaluation is carried out using the MCNP5 Monte Carlo radiation transport code and FEDNL 2.1 nuclear cross section data. The HCSB TBM neutronic performance demonstrates the tritium production capability and high heat deposition.     

聚变堆混和球床包层中子学和热工水力特性研究

在聚变堆初步概念设计的基础上，针对固态包层设计路线，提出了一个先进的氦冷固态包层概念。设计采用Be₁₂Ti和Li₂TiO₃陶瓷小球混和球床，物理和化学相容性好；采用SiC作为结构材料，提高耐高温性能及氦气出口温度。计算结果表明：选择Be₁₂Ti和Li^₂TiO₃球体积比在2和4之间较合理；在Be₁₂Ti和Li₂TiO₃球体积比为3时，⁶Li富集度取30％~80％较适宜；球床的最高温度低于材料的温度限值，温度分布合理均匀。该方案可较大程度提高热效率和改善中子学以及氚增殖性能。     

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.     

Tritium breeding analysis of a tokamak magnetic fusion production reactor

With three-dimensional modeling and neutron transport analysis, a tokamak with a low technology blanket containing beryllium was found to have a tritium breeding ratio of 1.54 tritons per DT neutron. Such a device would have a net tritium production capability of 9.1 kg/yr from 450 MW of fusion power at 70% capacity factor.This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract W-7405-Eng-48.     

A neutron point kinetic model for fusion relevant calculations

In the framework of research activities on fusion reactors a great effort is dedicated by the scientific community to the development of tritium breeding blankets. One of the main goals is to assess the neutronic behaviour of such devices to analyse their tritium breeding performance and to evaluate the required data for their thermal–mechanic and thermal–hydraulic design. Many papers have been published on this topic considering some stationary condition to calculate such important quantities as heating power, gas production and dpa rates, tritium breeding ratio, etc., but not much attention has been focussed to neutronic transport analyses in transient conditions. The present paper proposes a simple model based on the point kinetics approximation, which has been set up deriving an alternative formulation of the time-dependent neutron transport equation. This approach allows to define some physical characteristics that can be interpreted in a statistical way, making possible to calculate these quantities numerically by the Monte Carlo method. The adoption of the aforementioned numerical method has the great advantage that complex geometries (as the fusion reactor's blankets are) can be analysed with acceptable computational times. Some simple cases have been investigated to implement the theoretical model proposed with MCNP5 code and to show its potentiality. Then, applications to fusion reactor ITER blanket module and to the Helium Cooled Test Blanket Module, to be tested in ITER, have been taken into account in order to assess their neutronic time-dependent behaviour and the results obtained have been critically discussed.