Near-Term Applications of Fusion from the ST-VNS Development Path

Abstract

The ST-VNS devices designed for testing and developing fusion power blanket may offer a unique opportunity for near-term, non-electric applications:- A minimum size, MW level, plasma based 14 MeV neutron source can be very attractive for neutron science applications such as neutron and gamma radiography, and isotope production.- A 70–250 MW level ST-VNS can provide neutrons to drive a sub-critical fission assembly to destroy the actinides discharged from about 10–30 light water reactors and to produce power. A further reduction of long-term radiological hazard from fission power plants can be assured when additional 1,000 – 3,000 MW fusion reactors are developed in the future to transmute the long-lived fission products, Tc and I.- The ST-VNS device also offers a possibility to produce tritium for industrial and defense applications. A 300 MW spin-off device is capable of producing an excess tritium of 2 kg annually, when a conservative overall tritium breeding ratio of 1.2 and 60% availability are assumed.