Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika

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

Development of a Set of Software Tools Based on the Effective Radius Approximation for Simulating the Kinetics of Processes in the Advanced Thermonuclear Reactors with D- 3He Fuel

12/10/2025 2025 - #04 Current issues in nuclear energy

Godes A.I. Kondrashov O.V. Fedorov D.V. Shablov V.L.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2025.4.01

UDC: 533.9

The article is devoted to the development of an alternative fuel cycle concept for fusion reactors with magnetic plasma confinement using D-3He fuel. Turning to this type of fusion fuel is believed to solve the key problems of devices with conventional D-T fuel: the need to handle radioactive tritium and the so-called first wall problem arising from the intense flux of high-energy neutrons from the fusion reactor. In this connection, the problem arises of improving the accuracy of predicting the characteristics of the low-radioactive D-3He fuel cycle of fusion reactors with magnetic plasma confinement and determining ways to improve the efficiency of their operation, taking into account its peculiarities: higher realisation temperatures, as a consequence, higher losses for braking and magneto-braking radiation and the use of magnetic configurations with a high value of the parameter β (β – ratio of the gas kinetic pressure of the plasma to the magnetic pressure). To solve this problem, it is necessary to have a set of computational-theoretical approaches to the modelling of processes in plasma and a detailed description of the plasma energy balance, based on modern data on the rates of thermonuclear reactions and a correct description of energy losses for braking and magneto-braking radiation. The paper presents a set of software tools for calculating the rates of the main thermonuclear reactions based on the effective radius approximation, аnalytical parameterisations of losses for both types of radiation, taking into account relativistic effects, and for modelling the kinetics of processes occurring in the plasma, combined with the determination of the parameters of the Lawson criterion and the triple Lawson criterion for different modes of D-3He fuel use (fully catalysed or fully uncatalysed modes, 3He self-supply mode, different power amplification factors and different fusion reactor size.

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controlled thermonuclear fusion thermonuclear reaction rates effective radius approximation simulating the kinetics of processes in D- 3He plasma

Link for citing the article: Godes A.I., Kondrashov O.V., Fedorov D.V., Shablov V.L. Development of a Set of Software Tools Based on the Effective Radius Approximation for Simulating the Kinetics of Processes in the Advanced Thermonuclear Reactors with D- 3He Fuel. Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika. 2025, no. 4, pp. 6-18; DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2025.4.01 (in Russian).

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