Basic Requirements for a 1000-MW(electric) Class Tokamak Fusion-Fission Hybrid Reactor and Its Blanket Concept

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Plasma size and other basic performance parameters for 1000-MW (electric) power production are calculated with the blanket energy multiplication factor, the M value, as a parameter. The calculational model is based on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) physics design guidelines and includes overall plant power flow. Plasma size decreases as the M value increases. However, the improvement in the plasma compactness and other basic performance parameters, such as the total plant power efficiency, becomes saturated above the M = 5 to 7 range. Thus, a value in the M = 5 to 7 range is a reasonable choice for 1000-MW (electric) hybrids. Typical plasma parameters for 1000-MW (electric) hybrids with a value of M = 7 are a major radius of R = 5.2 m, minor radius of a = 1.7 m, plasma current of Ip = 15 MA, and toroidal field on the axis of B0 = 5 T. The concept of a thermal fission blanket that uses light water as a coolant is selected as an attractive candidate for electricity-producing hybrids. An optimization study is carried out for this blanket concept. The result shows that a compact, simple structure with a uniform fuel composition for the fissile region is sufficient to obtain optimal conditions for suppressing the thermal power increase caused by fuel burnup. The maximum increase in the thermal power is +3.2%. The M value estimated from the neutronics calculations is ∼ 7.0, which is confirmed to be compatible with the plasma requirement. These studies show that it is possible to use a tokamak fusion core with design requirements similar to those of ITER for a 1000-MW(electric) power reactor that uses existing thermal reactor technology for the blanket.