Neutronics analysis of HYLIFE-II blanket for fissile fuel breeding in an inertial fusion energy reactor

Abstract

A protective, 60 cm thick flowing liquid wall coolant is investigated as energy carrier, and fusile and fissile breeder medium in an inertial fusion energy (IFE) reactor. Flibe as the main constituent is mixed with increased mole-fractions of heavy metal salt (ThF 4 and UF 4) starting with 2 mol% up to 12 mol%. For a plant operation period of 30 years, radiation damage values were found as DPA=∼65 for 2 mol% heavy metal in the coolant, and remain practically constant with increasing heavy metal fraction, well below the presumable limit of DPA=100. Helium production values are calculated as ∼270 appm for 2 mol% heavy metal fraction, also being far below the limit value of 500 appm and remain at the same level with increasing heavy metal fraction. Such a flowing protective liquid wall extents the lifetime of the rigid first wall structure to a plant lifetime of 30 years. Fissionable metal salt in the flowing liquid enables one to breed high quality fissile fuel for external reactors by a self-sustaining tritium breeding for the fusion plant and increases plant power output.