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SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY INVESTIGATION OF AN INERTIAL CONFINEMENT FUSION-FISSION HYBRID REACTOR Kiranjit Mejer PTNR Research Project 2009 Frazer-Nash Consultancy University of Birmingham
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© Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd 2010. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document. SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY The Basic Concept Fusion neutron source D + T → α + n + 17.6 MeV (n energy 14.1 MeV) Sub critical fission blanket Neutron multiplier blanket Reflector Benefits of a Hybrid Waste transmutation – reducing inventory of HLW Production of energy Development of fusion technology Inherent safety The Fusion-Fission Hybrid Reactor
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© Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd 2010. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document. SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Laser Inertial confinement Fusion-Fission Energy Engine Inertial confinement fusion source Surrounded by Beryllium blanket Spherical blanket of sub-critical fission fuel Graphite blanket Pb-Li first wall coolant FLiBe (2LiF+BeF 2 ) coolant Power conversion system Image from ”Thermal and Mechanical Design Aspects of the LIFE Engine” R P Abbot et al, 2009
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© Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd 2010. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document. SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Multiplication Factor of Be Blanket Pure 9 Be – 1.85 gcm -3 Peak at 17 cm blanket thickness Factor ~ 2.06 Pebble packing fraction 60 % - 1.11 gcm -3 Factor ~ 1.81 at 16 cm Supported by “A Sustainable Nuclear Fuel Cycle Based on Laser Inertial Fusion Energy” Moses et al, 2009
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© Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd 2010. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document. SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Fuel Blanket Investigation Below - Energy gain from fission blanket of natural Uranium 19.1 gcm -3 surrounding a Beryllium blanket Above - Energy gain from fission blanket of pure 238U
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© Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd 2010. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document. SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Energy Spectrum of Neutrons Neutron energy entering the fission blanket ~ 0.05 at 14 MeV Large proportion at thermal energies Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution peaks at 0.025 eV Spectrum of neutrons returning from reflector shows same form
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© Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd 2010. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document. SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Other Fuel Options radius 1 cm Outer radius 0.5 mmKernel radius 0.3 mm Buffer layer (C) High-densityPyc SiC coated particles embedded in graphite matrix 30% TRISO 70% Carbon Fuel composition based on graphite pebbles containing TRISO particles Image adapted from http://blogs.princeton.edu/chm333/f2006/nuclear/trisoball.jpg http://blogs.princeton.edu/chm333/f2006/nuclear/trisoball.jpg
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© Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd 2010. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document. SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Fission blanket energy gain and criticality Fuel optionFission Energy Gaink eff Th-2320.520.033 DU (0.26% 235 U)7.700.396 Natural U16.080.576 LWR Spent Nuclear Fuel 27.600.720 Separated Transuranic Elements 183.140.966 Weapons grade plutonium 2.342
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© Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd 2010. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document. SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Coolant Effects First wall coolant Pb 83 Li 17 Primary coolant FLiBe (2LiF + BeF 2 ) 6 Li + n → 4 He + T + Q 7 Li + n → 4 He + T + n’ – Q Tritium Breeding Ratio (TBR) – ratio of T produced to consumed For self sufficiency TBR > 1.05 Requires 6 Li enrichment of 50% or more
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© Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd 2010. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document. SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Project Extensions Improvements to the Model Geometry – structural materials etc Fuel blanket compositions Temperatures Number of neutron histories Other fuel fabrication options Time dependent nature of the reactor - evolution of fuel with breeding from fertile isotopes - flattening power output with 6 Li content
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© Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd 2010. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document. SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Summary Demand for clean, abundant energy and concerns over HLW management have led to renewed interest in the hybrid concept MCNP modelling has demonstrated the viability of a number of fuel options particularly SNF Enrichment of 6 Li content in coolants can provide tritium self sufficiency for the reactor Timescale for LIFE machine large
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SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY www.fnc.co.uk
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© Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd 2010. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document. SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY MCNP Model Isotropic, monoenergetic neutron point source Pb-Li first wall coolant Beryllium multiplier blanket Fission Blanket Graphite reflector Stochastic approach - uses random number generation and reaction cross section data to determine the ‘history’ of a particle Many histories followed to give a representation of a real world situation
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© Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd 2010. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document. SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
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