Neutronics analysis of the ion cyclotron resonance heating antenna of the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor

Abstract

Ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) is an important auxiliary heating method applied to the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor, which can effectively heat the ions and electrons in plasma. Owing to the harsh nuclear environment, neutronic analyses are required to verify tritium self-sufficiency and neutron-shielding requirements. In this study, a neutronics analysis of the ICRH antenna was conducted using the COre and System integrated engine for Reactor Monte Carlo (cosRMC) code to estimate the neutron flux, radiation damage, nuclear heating, gas generation rate of key components, and tritium breeding ratio (TBR), providing data support for the subsequent optimization of the shielding design. In addition, the neutron flux of the coils around the antenna was calculated to prevent the entry of neutrons that damage the magnetic field coils through the gaps between the port plugs and antenna, and the shielding effects of the port-plug antenna on the surrounding components were analyzed. Finally, the results obtained using the cosRMC and MCNP codes were compared, which and presented good agreement, thus verifying the reliability of the neutronic analysis using the cosRMC code.