Design of a Helium-Cooled Molten-Salt Fusion Breeder

Moir, R.W.; Lee, J. D.; Fulton, Fred J.; Huegel, F.J.; Neef, W.S.; Sherwood, A.E.; Berwald, D.H.; Whitley, R.H.; Wong, C.P.C.; DeVan, J.H.; Grimes, W.R.; Ghose, Sunil

doi:10.13182/fst85-a40086

Cited by 34 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Second, tungsten can be plated onto the inside of heat exchangers as a tritium barrier. 36,86,87 Tungsten has an extremely low solubility for hydrogen and thus is a barrier to hydrogen diffusion. Tungsten plating has been used for other applications.…”

Section: Tritium Barriersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tritium Control and Capture in Salt-Cooled Fission and Fusion Reactors: Status, Challenges, and Path Forward

et al. 2017

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Three advanced nuclear power systems use liquid salt coolants that generate tritium and thus face the common challenges of containing and capturing tritium to prevent its release to the environment. The fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (FHR) uses clean fluoride salt coolants and the same graphite-matrix coated-particle fuel as high-temperature gas-cooled reactors. Molten salt reactors (MSRs) dissolve the fuel in a fluoride or chloride salt with release of fission product tritium into the salt. In most FHR and MSR systems, the baseline salts contain lithium where isotopically separated 7 Li is proposed to minimize tritium production from neutron interactions with the salt. The Chinese Academy of Sciences plans to start operation of a 2-MW(thermal) molten salt test reactor by 2020. For high-magnetic-field fusion machines, the use of lithium enriched in 6 Li is proposed to maximize tritium generation-the fuel for a fusion machine. Advances in superconductors that enable higher power densities may require the use of molten lithium salts for fusion blankets and as coolants. Recent technical advances in these three reactor classes have resulted in increased government and private interest and the beginning of a coordinated effort to address the tritium control challenges in 700°C liquid salt systems. We describe characteristics of salt-cooled fission and fusion machines, the basis for growing interest in these technologies, tritium generation in molten salts, the environment for tritium capture, models for high-temperature tritium transport in salt systems, alternative strategies for tritium control, and ongoing experimental work. Several methods to control tritium appear viable. Limited experimental data are the primary constraint for designing efficient cost-effective methods of tritium control.

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Section: Tritium Barriersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tritium Control and Capture in Salt-Cooled Fission and Fusion Reactors: Status, Challenges, and Path Forward

et al. 2017

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“…Fig. 4.1 shows a blanket designed both for a tandem mirror (Moir et al, 1984a(Moir et al, , 1985 and a tokamak (Moir et al, 1984b) with pebbles and helium cooling. The thorium is slowly circulated through the blanket in the form of molten salt and processed at a slow rate to remove the bred 233 U along with the spikant 232 U.…”

Section: Molten-salt Blanket Designs-fission-suppressed Fusion Breedermentioning

confidence: 99%

Axisymmetric Magnetic Mirror Fusion-Fission Hybrid

Moir

Martovetsky

Molvik

et al. 2012

Fusion Science and Technology

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The achieved performance of the gas dynamic trap version of magnetic mirrors and today's technology we believe are sufficient with modest further efforts for a neutron source for material testing (Q=P fusion /P input~0 .1). The performance needed for commercial power production requires considerable further advances to achieve the necessary high Q>>10. An early application of the mirror, requiring intermediate performance and intermediate values of Q~1 are the hybrid applications. The Axisymmetric Mirror has a number of attractive features as a driver for a fusion-fission hybrid system: geometrical simplicity, inherently steady-state operation, and the presence of the natural divertors in the form of end tanks. This level of physics performance has the virtue of low risk and only modest R&D needed and its simplicity promises economy advantages. Operation at Q~1 allows for relatively low electron temperatures, in the range of 4 keV, for the DT injection energy ~ 80 keV. A simple mirror with the plasma diameter of 1 m and mirror-to-mirror length of 35 m is discussed. Simple circular superconducting coils are based on today's technology. The positive ion neutral beams are similar to existing units but designed for steady state. A brief qualitative discussion of three groups of physics issues is presented: axial heat loss, MHD stability in the axisymmetric geometry, microstability of sloshing ions.

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“…Table 8. Blanket and Coolant Properties from references (Williams, Toth and Clarno, 2006, Moir, 1985, Foster and Wright, 1973and Rosenthal, Kasten and Briggs, 1970. .......55 Table 9.…”

Section: Table Of Contentsmentioning

confidence: 99%