Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika

The peer-reviewed scientific and technology journal. ISSN: 0204-3327

Hybrid thorium energy producing subcritical stand with a fusion neutron source based on a magnetic trap

6/24/2019 2019 - #02 Current issues in nuclear energy

Arzhannikov A.V. Shamanin I.V. Bedenko S.V. Prikhodko V.V. Sinitsky S.L. Shmakov V.M. Knyshev V.V. Lutsik I.O.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2019.2.04

UDC: 621.039.5

The article presents computer-simulated neutron-physical processes occurring in a high-temperature gas-cooled thorium reactor for 30 different core loading options. To ensure the reactor reliable and long-term operation (for at least 7 years), the dispersed phase proportion and the fuel starting composition were selected. The parameters are given of a long magnetic trap with a high-temperature plasma, ensuring the generation of additional neutrons due to fusion reactions occurring in the plasma and due to (n, xn)-type reactions occurring on the outer surface of magnetic trap. It is also shown that it is principally possible to replace the near-axial region of the reactor core by a long magnetic trap with high-temperature plasma for the cases of D-D and D-T reactions. The spatial-energy distribution of the output of these neutrons on the outer surface of the magnetic trap has been obtained. The prospects of using a plasma D-T neutron source to modify the near-axial region of the reactor core are demonstrated.

The considered reactor with a near-axial source of additional neutrons is designed to study the thermophysical and neutron-physical characteristics of the dispersive thorium-plutonium fuel in order to improve its properties. The obtained results are of interest in terms of advancing to future fusion power through the creation of a hybrid technology based on a thorium reactor with a source of additional neutrons in the form of a long plasma column. Calculation models were created using verified calculation program codes, including WIMS-D5B (ENDF/B-VII.0), MCU5TPU (MCUDВ50), MCNP5 (ENDF/B-VII.0), Serpent 1.1.7 (ENDF/B-VII.0), and PRIZMA (ENDF/B-VII.I).

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plasma neutron source thorium hybrid reactor nuclear fuel evolution

Link for citing the article: Arzhannikov A.V., Shamanin I.V., Bedenko S.V., Prikhodko V.V., Sinitsky S.L., Shmakov V.M., Knyshev V.V., Lutsik I.O. Hybrid thorium energy producing subcritical stand with a fusion neutron source based on a magnetic trap. Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika. 2019, no. 2, pp. 43-54; DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2019.2.04 (in Russian).

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