Effect of tokamak neutron source shape on radwaste transmutation

Abstract

The effects of tokamak neutron source shape on the radial build and transmutation characteristics of a transmutation reactor were investigated. The optimal dimension of the reactor components was determined by the requirements not only on plasma physics and tokamak engineering, but also on neutronic performance. Tokamak neutron source shapes with two aspect ratios and two blanket configurations were compared. With the plasma physics and tokamak engineering constraints moderately extrapolated from the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) design, the transmutation reactor with a normal aspect ratio (NAR) tokamak neutron source showed better transmutation performance with a smaller system dimension and larger fusion power than a low aspect ratio (LAR) tokamak neutron source. It was also shown that, with separate TRU burning and tritium breeding blanket configuration, the transmutation ratio was larger with the smaller initial TRU inventory than with merged TRU burning and tritium breeding blanket configuration.