Induced Radioactivity and Influence of Materials Selection in Deuterium-Deuterium and Deuterium-Tritium Fusion Reactors

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Abstract
The radioactivity, biological hazard potential, and afterheat levels in the deuterium-deuterium (D-D) fuel cycle fusion reactor, SATYR, have been evaluated for two types of structural materials: ferritic steel (HT-9) and sintered aluminum product. Results are compared to the corresponding levels in the deuterium-tritium (D-T) fuel cycle systems, STAR-FIRE and WITAMIR-I, both during operation and after plant decomissioning. The influence of blanket replacements on the radioactivity levels has been considered in the comparative analysis. It has been found that the long-term radioactivity level (100 to 1000 yr after plant shutdown) in the ferritic steel blanket of the SATYR design is somewhat higher, by a factor of 2 to 6, than that found for a D-T reactor system employing the same structural alloy. The high levels are attributed to the softer spectrum and the larger structure volume fraction encountered in the D-D machines. However, the levels during plant operation (∼30 yr) are comparable. Isotopic...