The Neutronics Studies of Fusion Fission
Hybrid Power Reactor
Youqi Zheng Ph. D
Nuclear Engineering Computational Physics Lab.
Xi’an Jiaotong University
2015/4/13
核工程计算物理实验室
Nuclear Engineering Computational Physics
Contents

Background

Fusion Source and Blanket Design

Neutronics Design and Sensitivity Analysis

Conclusions
2
Background(1/3)
A long way for the pure fusion energy, but
A short way for the application of fusion source
It is well recognized that
the fusion fission hybrid power reactor is an
important early use of fusion source
2050
NOW
3
2018
2030
3
Background(2/3)
R&D of hybrid reactor in China
R&D of Hybrid Power Reactor (National Magnetic Confinement Fusion
Science Program, 2010)
Re-evaluation for Producing Energy, Breeding and Transmutation
After 2000
R&D of Transmutation
1991-2000
R&D of Fuel Breeding
1986-1990
R&D of Reactor Concept
1980-1985
Idea Proposal
4
4
Background(3/3)

The target—A hybrid power reactor
•
•
•
•

1000MWe Power Output for 5 years
Tritium self-sustaining considering 5% loss
Applying the existing fission technology as much as possible
Sufficient energy multiplication of blanket for different fusion power
The first step
• Determining the outline of reactor
• Determining the candidate fuel
• Evaluating the feasibility
5
Contents

Background

Fusion Source and Blanket Design

Neutronics Design and Sensitivity Analysis

Conclusions
6
Fusion Source and Blanket Design (1/4)

The referred fusion reactor
• Citing from the works on FDS-I by ASIPP (under the cooperation in
National Magnetic Confinement Fusion Science Program
Parameters
Major radius/m
Minor radius/m
Aspect ratio
Plasma elongation
Triangularity
)
Reference Value
4
1
4
1.78
0.4
7
Fusion Source and Blanket Design (2/4)

Preliminary evaluation of water cooling blanket
For the fuel pins and pressurized water coolant with 15.5MPa
200mm is required for the FW based on the press analysis
(Referring: for a PWR vessel 43mm is required , but the practical one is >200mm)
8
Fusion Source and Blanket Design (3/4)
The modular-type pressure tube blanket
135cm
Fuel Zone
Pressurized Tube
Helium Tube
LiO2
60cm
Fission
Blanket
24.5cm
Breeding
Blanket
35.5cm
120cm
cm

Tritium
Breeding Zone
Graphite & RAFM
Reflector
&
Shielding Layer
cm
cm
9
Fusion Source and Blanket Design (4/4)
The simplified evaluation model
M
Light Water
gaps
Pressure Tube Wall
Fuel

200*     f  4.784* T6  2.467* T7
14.1* S

TBR 

V  0
1
( Li6   Li7 )s (r , E , )dEddV
  
V 4

0
s(r , E , )dEddV
Cladding
10
Contents

Background

Fusion Source and Blanket Design

Neutronics Design and Sensitivity Analysis

Conclusions
11
Neutronics Design and Sensitivity Analysis (1/4)

Energy multiplication requirements of the fission
blanket
Pfu M  1000
For the 50MW fusion power
Keff >0.9
For the 100~200MW fusion power
Keff~0.8
For the 500MW fusion power
Keff~0.6
12
Neutronics Design and Sensitivity Analysis (2/4)

Keff varying in the lifetime of different fuels
Reprocessed fuel for high energy multiplication
Spent fuel for middle energy multiplication
Natural uranium fuel for low energy multiplication
13
Neutronics Design and Sensitivity Analysis (3/4)

High energy multiplication blanket
Burnable poison is another choice
4.5%w/o Pu
More plutonium content
Flattened burn-up process
14.3%w/o Pu
Moderator-fuel ratio 1.0
Gd2O3 0.85%w/o
14
Neutronics Design and Sensitivity Analysis (4/4)

Low energy multiplication blanket
• Higher fusion power and released blanket
performance
Moderator-fuel ratio 0.5
Modified blanket
Moderator-fuel ratio 1.0
The same blanket
15
Contents

Background

Fusion Source and Blanket Design

Neutronics Design and Sensitivity Analysis

Conclusions
16
Conclusions (1/2)

The reprocessed fuel containing existing plutonium from
PWRs makes the hybrid power reactor feasible in the
coming future

Progress of fusion technology may encourage the more
easier fuels like the natural uranium fuel and directly
burning the spent fuel from PWRs

Advanced work can and should be boosted based on the
analysis
17
Conclusions (2/2)

Discussions
• High energy multiplication
Fuel support of the reactors
– ~40tons plutonium will be loaded every 5 years
 Control of the reactors
– 90 times multiplication down to 60 times

• Low energy multiplication
For the natural uranium fuel, the required small moderatorfuel ratio is very difficult to achieve for the pressure tubes
 For the spent fuel, the fuel processing before loading

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