Damage parameters of structural materials in fusion environment compared to fission reactor irradiation

Abstract

Abstract Calculations were performed to quantify the damage parameters in the leading candidate structural and plasma facing materials when used in magnetic and inertial confinement fusion systems and when irradiated in fission reactors. The structural materials considered are ferritic steel, austenitic steel, vanadium alloy and SiC/SiC composite. Plasma facing materials included beryllium, tungsten, and carbon fiber composites. Atomic displacement damage and gas production rates are greatly influenced by the neutron energy spectrum. For the same neutron wall loading, atomic displacement damage is slightly lower in inertial fusion systems than in magnetic fusion systems but gas production is about a factor of 2 lower. In addition, much lower gas production is obtained in samples irradiated in fission reactors. The results help guide irradiation experiments in fission reactors to properly simulate the damage environment in fusion systems and facilitate extrapolating to the expected material performance in fusion systems.