Neutronics Analysis of Deuterium-Tritium-Driven Experimental Hybrid Blankets

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Abstract
At the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, an experimental fusion and fusion-fission (hybrid) reactor facility is near completion. Experiments are scheduled to begin in February 1984. The experimental cavity leads one to plan experiments mostly with blankets in plane geometry. Five different hybrid blanket modules in plane geometry are analyzed with two different left boundary conditions representing varying experimental situations. Numbers I and II represent energy and fissile fuel producing blankets, whereas number III is mainly a fissile fuel producing blanket. Numbers IV and V are actiniae burning blankets. It is shown that the overall neutronic performance, such as keff, energy multiplication factor M, fusile and fissile breeding, of a hybrid blanket with transplutonium actiniae fuel is already better than that of a UO2 or ThO2 hybrid blanket. Furthermore, the transplutonium actiniae waste is partly converted into precious nuclear fuel of a new type, such as 242mAm and 245Cm. An experimental blanket with a vacuum left boundary has a harder neutron spectrum, and also excessive neutron leakage from the front surface and the lateral surfaces, as compared to that in the blanket in confinement geometry. It leads to the poorer neutronic performance of the former.