Neutron Transport and Nuclear Burnup Analysis for the Laser Inertial Confinement Fusion-Fission Energy (LIFE) Engine

Kramer, Kevin J.; Latkowski, Jeffery F.; Abbott, R P; Boyd, J.K.; Powers, Jeff; Seifried, Jeffery E.

doi:10.13182/fst09-2

Cited by 31 publications

(34 citation statements)

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“…Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has studied inertial confinement hybrids with depleted uranium blankets (see Section 9.1.3) and concluded that keff will rise to a maximum of not more than 0.7 before gradually decreasing indefinitely [31]. Although our device is substantially different, it is not terribly unreasonable to assume that the similarities between natural and depleted uranium will yield the same general trends.…”

Section: Burnup and Fuel Cyclementioning

confidence: 89%

“…The University of Illinois has also looked into the thorium blanket idea [41]. Beyond magnetic confinement, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the University of Cal-ifornia at Berkeley have conceived the Laser Inertial Confinement Fusion-Fission Energy (LIFE) Reactor [31]. At the conclusion of this work, we will compare our conceptual design to those proposed by Stacey, Tang, and LLNL.…”

Section: Renaissancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…ko(t) will also increase, although not as substantially, as 2 38 U and 2 39 Pu have similar fission cross-section magnitudes at 14 MeV (within a factor of 2). Inertial confinement hybrid studies by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have shown that keff will rise to a maximum of not more than 0.7 before gradually decreasing indefinitely [31]. Thus, there would be ample opportunity to apply this method to both k(t) increases and decreases.…”

Section: Phyb(t) ---Pfus 193] Ko(t)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in association with the University of California at Berkeley has conceived and designed the Laser Inertial Confinement FusionFission Energy (LIFE) Reactor [31]. See Figure 9.2, which happens to be glorious.…”

Section: Inertial Confinement Hybrids (Life)mentioning

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: Burnup and Fuel Cyclementioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Renaissancementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Phyb(t) ---Pfus 193] Ko(t)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Inertial Confinement Hybrids (Life)mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

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

Reed¹,

Parker²,

Forget³

2012

AIP Conference Proceedings

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…3). One recent example is the Laser Inertial Fusion Energy (LIFE) engine, 4 where an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) neutron source drives a subcritical blanket.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%