Inertial fusion energy: A clearer view of the environmental and safety perspectives

Latkowski, Jeffery F.

doi:10.2172/486566

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…This may seem like a small amount, but fusion of 1 mole of fusion fuel every 10 minutes would release enough energy for a 1000 MWe power plant [17]. So much energy is released in a single fusion reaction that the fusion of a single mole of deuterium with a mole of tritium releases as much energy as combustion of almost 70 tons of coal [17]. In addition, fusion by-products can be better contained as opposed to the tons of CO 2 produced by a coal-fired power plant generating the same amount of energy.…”

Section: Fusion Energymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many different types of fusion power plants have been envisioned in the past, but none of the designs ever developed beyond a paper study [17]. The LFFH could fulfill a suite of potential missions ranging from pure energy production, to destruction of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) or weapons grade fissile material via stockpile systems draw down.…”

Section: Potential Missionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Laser Intertial Fusion Energy: Neutronic Design Aspects of a Hybrid Fusion-Fission Nuclear Energy System

Kramer¹

2010

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This study investigates the neutronics design aspects of a hybrid fusion-fission energy system called the Laser Fusion-Fission Hybrid (LFFH). A LFFH combines current Laser Inertial Confinement fusion technology with that of advanced fission reactor technology to produce a system that eliminates many of the negative aspects of pure fusion or pure fission systems. When examining the LFFH energy mission, a significant portion of the United States and world energy production could be supplied by LFFH plants.The LFFH engine described utilizes a central fusion chamber surrounded by multiple layers of multiplying and moderating media. These layers, or blankets, include coolant plenums, a beryllium (Be) multiplier layer, a fertile fission blanket and a graphite-pebble reflector. Each layer is separated by perforated oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic steel walls. The central fusion chamber is surrounded by an ODS ferritic steel first wall. The first wall is coated with 250-500 µm of tungsten to mitigate x-ray damage. The first wall is cooled by Li 17 Pb 83 eutectic, chosen for its neutron multiplication and good heat transfer properties. The Li 17 Pb 83 flows in a jacket around the first wall to an extraction plenum. The main coolant injection plenum is immediately behind the Li 17 Pb 83 , separated from the Li 17 Pb 83 by a solid ODS wall. This main system coolant is the molten salt flibe (2LiF-BeF 2 ), chosen for beneficial neutronics and heat transfer properties. The use of flibe enables both fusion fuel production (tritium) and neutron moderation and multiplication for the fission blanket. A Be pebble (1 cm diameter) multiplier layer surrounds the coolant injection plenum and the coolant flows radially through perforated walls across the bed. Outside the Be layer, a fission fuel layer comprised of depleted uranium contained in Tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles having a packing fraction of 20% in 2 cm 1 diameter fuel pebbles. The fission blanket is cooled by the same radial flibe flow that travels through perforated ODS walls to the reflector blanket. This reflector blanket is 75 cm thick comprised of 2 cm diameter graphite pebbles cooled by flibe. The flibe extraction plenum surrounds the reflector bed. Detailed neutronics designs studies are performed to arrive at the described design.The LFFH engine thermal power is controlled using a technique of adjusting the 6 Li/ 7 Li enrichment in the primary and secondary coolants. The enrichment adjusts system thermal power in the design by increasing tritium production while reducing fission. To perform the simulations and design of the LFFH engine, a new software program named LFFH Nuclear Control (LNC) was developed in C++ to extend the functionality of existing neutron transport and depletion software programs. Neutron transport calculations are performed with MCNP5. Depletion calculations are performed using Monteburns 2.0, which utilizes ORIGEN 2.0 and MCNP5 to perform a burnup calculation. LNC supports many design parameters and is capable of p...

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Section: Fusion Energymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Potential Missionsmentioning

confidence: 99%