Thermal network for breeding blanket analysis and design in fusion reactor

Abstract

Achieving carbon neutrality in energy production has become crucial and fusion energy is a promising way to a sustainable energy future. Breeding blanket is a critical component of a fusion reactor, ensuring tritium self-sufficiency and heat recovery for power generation. Breeding blanket needs an effective thermal management system as it operates under the high plasma in fusion reactors and the heat generated by the breeding reaction, which should be collected for power conversion. In this study, a thermal circuit model is used to analyze the design of a breeding blanket cooling system; in this model, each component is regarded as a thermal resistance element. Numerical simulations, empirical correlations, and equations are used to compute each resistance element. The thermal circuit results are then integrated into power conversion system using GateCycle for a basic analysis of power generation efficiency of a breeding blanket. Furthermore, we investigated the modified jet impingement design by changing thermal circuit elements to enhance cooling performance. The use of protrusions enhances the thermal performance of the impinging jet by 11 %, contributing to an overall enhancement in system efficiency. These findings could offer valuable insights for advancing the development of efficient, sustainable fusion energy systems.