fusion blanket technology
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Fusion Blanket Technology. The development and simulation of fuel self- sufficiency capabilities of nuclear fusion reactors. Bethany Colling [email protected]. Presentation Outline. Fusion and Fuels Tritium Breeding Blanket Technology Computer Models and Simulations - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Fusion Blanket Technology
The development and simulation of fuel self- sufficiency capabilities of nuclear fusion reactors.
Bethany Colling
B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF [email protected]
Presentation Outline
Fusion and Fuels
Tritium Breeding
Blanket Technology
Computer Models and Simulations
Preliminary Studies
Further Work With DEMO Concepts
Fusion and Fuels
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.
3.6MeV 14.1MeV
D T He42+ +
A lower projectile energy (in this case the deuteron energy) is required for the DT fusion reaction to take place.
B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF [email protected]
Deuterium Tritium
Image courtesy of http://thepolywellblog.blogspot.com/2010
Tritium Breeding
+
+++
+ ++
++
+ +D T
n
Li-6 He-4
+ +Li6 He4 T
+Li7 +He4 T +
4.8MeV
-2.5MeV
Tritium Production via the neutron bombardment of lithium
Tritium Produced
Tritium BurntTBR =
Tritium Breeding Ratio (TBR)
The DT Reaction Fuel Cycle
An exothermic reaction- releasing energy
B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF [email protected]
Blanket Technology
provide shielding to protect the superconducting magnets and personnel
extract heat energy to produce electricity
breed tritium to provide the reactor with a self sufficient fuel supply
1
2
3
Three main requirements of the reactor blanket:
Solid Breeder
Liquid Breeder
EFDA Images: 3D10.06-2c(Images courtesy of European Fusion Development Agreement, "A conceptual study of commercial fusion power plants," 2005.)
B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF [email protected]
Computer Models and SimulationsSoftware:
Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code (MCNP) Material Activation Code ‘FISPACT’ Computer Aided Design Software -such as SolidWorks and MCAM
1 Dimensional Model
2 Dimensional Model
B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF [email protected]
MCNP VISUAL EDITOR MCNP VISUAL EDITOR
Preliminary Studies- Breeding
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 1000.80
0.90
1.00
1.10
1.20
1.30
1.40 Li Li2O Li4SiO4
Lithium-6 Enrichment (%)
TBR
Increase in Li-6 enrichment above 20% reduces the TBR.
Comparison of Three Breeders Using 2D Model
B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF [email protected]
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 [email protected]
Preliminary Studies- ActivationInventory
(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.
0 5 10 15 20 25 300
5E+020
1E+021
1.5E+021
2E+021
2.5E+021
3E+021
Lithium-6TritiumDeuteriumHydrogenHelium-3Helium-4
Time (Years)
B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF [email protected]
Further Work With DEMO Concepts
B.Colling Fusion Blanket Technology UNTF
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