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Fusion Energy
This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
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Latest News
First astatine-labeled compound shipped in the U.S.
The Department of Energy’s National Isotope Development Center (NIDC) on March 31 announced the successful long-distance shipment in the United States of a biologically active compound labeled with the medical radioisotope astatine-211 (At-211). Because previous shipments have included only the “bare” isotope, the NIDC has described the development as “unleashing medical innovation.”
Grover D. Morgan, David A. Bowers, David E. Ruester, Jungchung Jung, Balabhadra Misra
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 8 | Number 1 | July 1985 | Pages 149-162
Technical Paper | Blanket Comparison and Selection Study | doi.org/10.13182/FST85-A24679
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The primary goal of the Blanket Comparison and Selection Study (BCSS) was to select a limited number of blanket concepts for fusion power reactors, to serve as the focus for the U.S. Department of Energy blanket research and development program. The concepts considered most seriously by the BCSS can be grouped for discussion purposes by coolant: liquid metals and alloys, pressurized water, helium, and nitrate salts. Concepts using pressurized water as the coolant are discussed. Water-cooled concepts using liquid breeders — lithium and 17Li-83Pb (LiPb) — have severe fundamental safety problems. The use of lithium and water in the blanket was considered unacceptable. Initial results of tests at Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory using steam injected into molten LiPb indicate that use of LiPb and water together in a blanket is a very serious concern from the safety standpoint. Key issues for water-cooled blankets with solid tritium breeders (Li2O, or a ternary oxide such as LiAlO2) were identified and examined: reliability against leaks, control of tritium permeation into the coolant, retention of breeder physical integrity, breeder temperature predictability, determination of allowable temperature limits for breeders, and 6Li burnup effects (for LiAlO2). The BCSS's final rankings and associated rationale for all water-cooled concepts are examined. Key issues and factors for tokamak and tandem mirror reactor versions of water-cooled solid breeder concepts are discussed. The reference design for the top-ranked concept—LiAlO2 breeder, ferritic steel structure, and beryllium neutron multiplier — is presented. Finally, some general conclusions for water-cooled blanket concepts are drawn based on the study's results.