Fission-fusion systems: hybrid, symbiotic and augean

Lidsky, L.M.

doi:10.1088/0029-5515/15/1/016

Cited by 94 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 20 publications

(48 reference statements)

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“…Lawrence M. Lidsky best chronicles the early evolution of the hybrid concept from its inception in the early 1950's until 1975 [34]. The concept of a power-multiplying blanket surrounding a fusion reactor first arose from attempts to breed sufficient tritium to replenish that consumed by D-T fusion.…”

Section: Nascencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many ignored such crucial considerations as corrosion and fission product buildup. See Lidsky's 1975 review paper for details and references for all of these [34].…”

Section: Nascencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 1992, the U.S. government declassified the fact that 2 3 7 Np can be used make nuclear weapons [34]. In 2002, researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory performed a criticality experiment with a 2 1 7 Np sphere to show that its critical mass is approximately 60 kg, less than 20% larger than that of 23 [36].…”

Section: Breedingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A fission-fusion hybrid reactor in steady-state L-mode tokamak configuration with natural uranium

Reed¹,

Parker²,

Forget³

2012

AIP Conference Proceedings

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The most prevalent criticism of fission-fusion hybrids is simply that they are too exotic -that they would exacerbate the challenges of both fission and fusion. This is not really true. Intriguingly, hybrids could actually be more viable than stand-alone fusion reactors while mitigating many challenges of fission. This work develops a conceptual design for a fission-fusion hybrid reactor in steady-state L-mode tokamak configuration with a subcritical natural or depleted uranium pebble bed blanket. A liquid lithiumlead alloy breeds enough tritium to replenish that consumed by the D-T fusion reaction. Subcritical operation could obviate the most challenging fuel cycle aspects of fission. The fission blanket augments the fusion power such that the fusion core itself need not have a high power gain, thus allowing for fully non-inductive (steady-state) low confinement mode (L-mode) operation at relatively small physical dimensions.A neutron transport Monte Carlo code models the natural uranium fission blanket. Maximizing the fission power while breeding sufficient tritium allows for the selection of an optimal set of blanket parameters, which yields a maximum prudent fission power gain of 7.7.A 0-D tokamak model suffices to analyze approximate tokamak operating conditions. If the definition of a "reactor" is a device with a total power gain of 40, then this fission blanket would allow the fusion component of a hybrid reactor with the same dimensions as ITER to operate in steady-state L-mode very comfortably with a fusion power gain of 6.7 and a thermal fusion power of 2.1 GW. Taking this further can determine the approximate minimum scale for a steady-state L-mode tokamak hybrid reactor, which is a major radius of 5.2 in and an aspect ratio of 2.8. This minimum scale device operates barely within the steady-state L-mode realm with a thermal fusion power of 1.7 GW. This hybrid, with its very fast neutron spectrum, could be superior to pure fission reactors in terms of breeding fissile fuel and transmuting deleterious fission products. It could operate either as a breeder, producing fuel for pure fission reactors from natural or depleted uranium, or as a deep burner, fissioning heavy metal and transmuting waste with a cycle time of decades. Despite a plethora of potential functions, its primary Mark Reedmission is deemed to be that of a deep burner producing baseload commercial power with a once-through fuel cycle. Although hybrids are often purported a priori to pose an elevated proliferation risk, this reactor breeds plutonium that could actually be more proliferation-resistant than that bred by fast reactors. Furthermore, a novel method (the "variable fixed source method") can maintain constant total hybrid power output as burnup proceeds by varying the neutron source strength.As for engineering feasibility, basic thermal hydraulic analysis demonstrates that pressurized helium could cool the pebble bed fission blanket with a flow rate below 10 m/s. The Brayton cycle thermal efficiency is 41%.This device is d...

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Section: Nascencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many ignored such crucial considerations as corrosion and fission product buildup. See Lidsky's 1975 review paper for details and references for all of these [34].…”

Section: Nascencementioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A fission-fusion hybrid reactor in steady-state L-mode tokamak configuration with natural uranium

Reed¹,

Parker²,

Forget³

2012

AIP Conference Proceedings

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“…In this paper, we concentrate on the use of an axisymmetric mirror as a driver for a fusion-fission hybrid (Lidsky, 1975). In order to have a meaningful power balance of this system, the fusion driver has to have much higher value of Q than the neutron source.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Axisymmetric Magnetic Mirror Fusion-Fission Hybrid

Moir

Martovetsky

Molvik

et al. 2012

Fusion Science and Technology

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The achieved performance of the gas dynamic trap version of magnetic mirrors and today's technology we believe are sufficient with modest further efforts for a neutron source for material testing (Q=P fusion /P input~0 .1). The performance needed for commercial power production requires considerable further advances to achieve the necessary high Q>>10. An early application of the mirror, requiring intermediate performance and intermediate values of Q~1 are the hybrid applications. The Axisymmetric Mirror has a number of attractive features as a driver for a fusion-fission hybrid system: geometrical simplicity, inherently steady-state operation, and the presence of the natural divertors in the form of end tanks. This level of physics performance has the virtue of low risk and only modest R&D needed and its simplicity promises economy advantages. Operation at Q~1 allows for relatively low electron temperatures, in the range of 4 keV, for the DT injection energy ~ 80 keV. A simple mirror with the plasma diameter of 1 m and mirror-to-mirror length of 35 m is discussed. Simple circular superconducting coils are based on today's technology. The positive ion neutral beams are similar to existing units but designed for steady state. A brief qualitative discussion of three groups of physics issues is presented: axial heat loss, MHD stability in the axisymmetric geometry, microstability of sloshing ions.

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“…Эти и другие преимущества делают такую концепцию привлекательной, несмотря на более жесткий энергетический баланс (см. также работы [88][89][90] Значительно плодотворнее, на наш взгляд, соредоточиться в настоя щее время на физических процессах катализа и электроядерного бри динга, понять, какие из них наиболее существенны, и найти количест венные их характеристики. В следующем разделе мы постараемся пред ставить современное состояние исследований по мюонному катализу и наметить основные направления дальнейших работ в этой области.…”

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