Gas-cooled thorium reactor at various fuel loadings and its modification by a plasma source of extra neutrons

Abstract

This work presents the results of computer simulation of neutronic processes in a high-temperature gas-cooled thorium reactor for 30 different options of core loading. To guarantee stable and long-term reactor operation (7–10 years), the quantity of fuel compact dispersion phase and starting fuel composition was selected. It is demonstrated that it is possible in principle to substitute the near-axial recirculation zone of the reactor core by a long magnetic trap with a high-temperature plasma column for generating thermonuclear neutrons. The distribution of neutron yield along the length of the plasma source is also presented. Such a thorium reactor, with a near-axial source of extra neutrons, can be applied for researching thermophysical and neutronic characteristics of dispersion thorium fuel to improve its properties. The results of the work are of great interest from the perspective of future advancement of the thermonuclear power industry, by means of creation of a hybrid installation based on a thorium reactor with a long plasma column as a source of additional neutrons.