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Fusion Blanket Technology. The development and simulation of fuel self- sufficiency capabilities of nuclear fusion reactors. Bethany Colling b.colling@lancaster.ac.uk. Presentation Outline. Fusion and Fuels Tritium Breeding Blanket Technology Computer Models and Simulations
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Fusion Blanket Technology The development and simulation of fuel self- sufficiency capabilities of nuclear fusion reactors. Bethany Colling b.colling@lancaster.ac.uk
Presentation Outline • Fusion and Fuels • Tritium Breeding • Blanket Technology • Computer Models and Simulations • Preliminary Studies • Further Work With DEMO Concepts B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF b.colling@lancaster.ac.uk
Fusion and Fuels D T 4 He 2 • Fusion power, the fusing of two lighter nuclei to create one heavier nucleus, could produce a vast amount of energy, with fuels that are abundant or easily produced, in an inherently safe and environmentally favourable manner. + + Deuterium Tritium 3.6MeV 14.1MeV A lower projectile energy (in this case the deuteron energy) is required for the DT fusion reaction to take place. Image courtesy of http://thepolywellblog.blogspot.com/2010 B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF b.colling@lancaster.ac.uk
Tritium Breeding 4.8MeV 7 6 Li Li + 4 4 He He + T + + + + + n + D T + + + T -2.5MeV + + + + + He-4 Li-6 Tritium Production via the neutron bombardment of lithium An exothermic reaction- releasing energy Tritium Breeding Ratio (TBR) Tritium Produced TBR = Tritium Burnt The DT Reaction Fuel Cycle B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF b.colling@lancaster.ac.uk
Blanket Technology Solid Breeder Three main requirements of the reactor blanket: breed tritium to provide the reactor with a self sufficient fuel supply 1 provide shielding to protect the superconducting magnets and personnel 2 EFDA Images: 3D10.06-2c 3 extract heat energy to produce electricity (Images courtesy of European Fusion Development Agreement, "A conceptual study of commercial fusion power plants," 2005.) Liquid Breeder B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF b.colling@lancaster.ac.uk
Computer Models and Simulations 2 Dimensional Model • Software: • Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code (MCNP) • Material Activation Code ‘FISPACT’ • Computer Aided Design Software • -such as SolidWorks and MCAM 1 Dimensional Model MCNP VISUAL EDITOR MCNP VISUAL EDITOR B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF b.colling@lancaster.ac.uk
Preliminary Studies- Breeding Comparison of Three Breeders Using 2D Model Increase in Li-6 enrichment above 20% reduces the TBR. B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF b.colling@lancaster.ac.uk
Preliminary Studies- Shielding Plasma Core- the hottest part External Components, such as the superconducting magnets required for plasma containment, are shown to be shielded from some neutron dose by the blanket. These MCNP generated images also show that the modelled neutron source is correctly placed and uniformly distributed in the reactor core. B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF b.colling@lancaster.ac.uk
Preliminary Studies- Activation Inventory(nuclide atom density /cm^3) The breeder material (lithium orthosilicate) is bombarded with a neutron source for 10 years, then left for a further 20 years to view the decay products. B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF b.colling@lancaster.ac.uk
Further Work With DEMO Concepts • European power plant conceptual study (PPCS) highlights four main reactor designs: • Model A- water cooled lithium lead • Model B- helium cooled pebble bed • Model C- dual coolant lithium lead • Model D- self cooled lithium lead Breeder materials for investigation: Lithium ceramics- Li4SiO4, Li2TiO3, Li2TiO2, Li2CaO, Li2O, Li4SiO4 + SiO2 + TeO2, Li2ZrO3 & Li2AlO2 Liquid lithium and molten salts- Li20Sn80, LiFBeF2, LiFNaFBeF2, Li, Li17Pb83 Cross section of model with increasing complexity B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF
