Abstract
Two blanket concepts for deuterium-tritium (DT) fusion reactors are presented which maximize fissile fuel production while at the same time suppress fission reactions. By suppressing fission reactions, the reactor will be less hazardous, and therefore easier to design, develop, and license. A fusion breeder operating a given nuclear power level can produce much more fissile fuel by suppressing fission reactions. The two blankets described use beryllium for neutron multiplication. One blanket uses two separate circulating molten salts: one salt for tritium breeding and the other salt for U-233 breeding. The other uses separate solid forms of lithium and thorium for breeding and helium for cooling.
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Nuclear power is the sum of fusion (D + T→ 14 MeV neutron+ 3.5 MeV alpha) power plus additional power from neutron-induced reactions in the blanket.
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Lee, J.D., Moir, R.W. Fission-suppressed blankets for fissile fuel breeding fusion reactors. J Fusion Energ 1, 299–303 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01050362
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01050362