Research Information System
KERNTECHNIK, vol.70, no.4, pp.233-242, 2005 (SCI-Expanded)
The main objective is to study the effects of spectral shifting in an inertial confinement system for kT/shot energy regime on the breeding performance for tritium and for high quality fissile fuel. A protective liquid droplet jet zone of 2 m thickness is used as coolant, energy carrier and breeder Flibe as the main constituent is mixed with increased mole-fractions of heavy metal salt (ThF4 or UF4) starting by 2 moles% up to 12 moles%. Spectrum softening within the inertial confinement system reduces the tritium production ratio (TBR) in the protective coolant to a lower level than unity. However additional tritium production in the (Li2DT)-Li-6 zone of the system increases TBR to values above unity and allows a continuous operation of the power plant with a self-sustained fusion fuel supply. By modest fusion fuel burn efficiencies (40 to 60%) and with a few mol. % of heavy metal salt in the coolant in form of ThF4 or % UF4, a satisfactory TBR of > 1.05 can be realized. In addition to that, excess fissile fuel of extremely high isotopic purity with a rate of similar to 1000 kg/year of U-233 or Pu-239 can be produced. Radiation damage through atomic displacements and helium gas production after a plant operation period of 30 years is very low, namely dpa <1 and He < 2 ppm, respectively.