University of Wisconsin Neutronics Center of Excellence

Advanced D-3He Fuel Cycle

ARIES-III device

ARIES-III

The interest in fusion safety has stimulated worldwide research for advanced fuel cycles such as D-D, D-3He, p-11B, and 3He-3He. These fuel cycles, except 3He-3He, are not completely aneutronic due to their side reactions. Neutron wall loadings, however, can be kept low (by orders of magnitude) compared to D-T fuelled plants with the same output power, eliminating the need for a breeding blanket and the replacement of the first wall and shielding components during the entire plant lifetime. The availability of 3He and the attainment of the higher plasma parameters required for burning are challenging problems for the D-3He fuel cycle. High beta and/or high field innovative confinement concepts, such as the field-reversed configuration and, to a lesser extent, the tokamaks are suitable devices for advanced fuel cycles.

In the early 1990s, the ARIES-III D-3He tokamak was developed within the framework of the ARIES study. The UW D-3He Apollo series, along with ARIES-III, demonstrated attractive safety characteristics, including low activity and decay heat levels, low-level waste, and low releasable radioactive inventory from credible accidents. Another advantage for the D-3He system is the possibility of obtaining electrical power by direct energy conversion of the protons and radiation produced by fusion reactions. These advantages suggest that studies for the development of advanced fuel cycles should be carried out in parallel with the present mainstream D-T fusion power development, as the low neutron production helps overcome some of the engineering, materials, and safety hurdles to fusion development.

Related Links

Publications

25 publications found    » search for others     [linked reports are PDF]

retrieve PDF    D-3He Fueled Fusion Devices as Step Towards Total Fusion Safety; L. El-Guebaly and M. Zucchetti, June 2007 [presented at the 13th International Conference on Emerging Nuclear Energy Systems (ICENES 2007), 3-8 June 2007, Istanbul, Turkey]. (16 pages, 4.6 MB)

UWFDM-1296    Recent Developments in Environmental Aspects of D-3He Fueled Fusion Devices; Laila El-Guebaly and Massimo Zucchetti, October 2006 (revised April 2008) [published in Fusion Engineering and Design, vol. 82, 4 (2007) 351-361]. (27 pages, 630 kB)

J.F. Santarius, G.L. Kulcinski, and L.A. El-Guebaly, "A Passively Proliferation-Proof Fusion Power Plant", Fusion Science & Technology, 44, 289 (2003).

L.A. El-Guebaly, "Neutronics Assessment for the ARIES Advanced Reactor Studies," Fusion Engineering and Design, 28, 658-664 (1995).

D.K. Sze et al., "Engineering Design of ARIES-III," Proceedings of Second Symposium on 3He and Fusion Power, Madison, WI, WCSAR-TR-AR3-9307-3, 309 (July 1993).

L.A. El-Guebaly and C.W. Maynard, "Overview of Apollo Studies and Economic Assessment of Several Proposed Variations," Proceedings of Second Wisconsin Symposium on 3He and Fusion Power, Madison, WI, WCSAR-TR-AR3-9307-3, 221 (July 1993).

G.L. Kulcinski et al., "Summary of Apollo, a D-3He Tokamak Reactor Design," Fusion Technology, Vol. 21, No. 4, 2292 (July 1992).

G.L. Kulcinski et al., "Safety and Environmental Characteristics of Recent D-3He and DT Tokamak Power Reactors," Fusion Technology, Vol. 21, No. 3, Part 2B, 1779 (May 1992).

M.E. Sawan and L.A. El-Guebaly, "Neutronics Analysis for the First Wall and Shield of the D-3He Reactor ARIES-III," Fusion Technology, Vol. 21, No. 3, Part 2B, 2069 (May 1992).

E. Mogahed, G. Emmert and M. Sawan, "Startup Scenarios of an Advanced Fuel Tokamak: First Wall and Shield Thermal Response," Fusion Technology 21, 1739 (1992).

H. Attaya, M. Sawan, and G. Kulcinski, "Waste Disposal of Candidate Structural Materials in Fusion Reactors Utilizing Different Fuel Cycles," Fusion Technology 22, 115 (1992).

H. Khater and M. Sawan, "Activation Analysis for the D-3He Reactor," Fusion Technology, Vol. 21, 2112 (1992).

L.A. El-Guebaly, "Shielding Aspects of D-3He Fusion Power Reactors," Fusion Technology, Vol. 22, No. 1, 124 (1992).

H. Khater and M. Sawan, "Activation Analysis for the D-3He Reactor ARIES-III," Fusion Technology 21, 2112 (1992).

M. Sawan et al., "Organic Cooled First Wall and Shield Design for the ARIES-III D-3He Reactor," Proc. IEEE 14th Symposium on Fusion Engineering, San Diego, CA (Oct. 1991), IEEE Cat. No. 91CH3035-3, Vol. 2, pp. 1110.

H. Khater and M. Sawan, "Safety and Environmental Aspects of the Apollo-L2 D-3He Reactor," Proc. IEEE 14th Symposium on Fusion Engineering, San Diego, CA (Oct. 1991), IEEE Cat. No. 91CH3035-3, Vol. 2, pp. 704.

H. Khater and M. Sawan, "The Importance of Using the Mixed Neutron Flux in Activation Analysis of D-3He Fueled Reactors," Proc. IEEE 14th Symposium on Fusion Engineering, San Diego, CA (Oct. 1991), IEEE Cat. No. 91CH3035-3, Vol. 1, pp. 613.

F. Najmabadi, R. Conn et al., "The ARIES-III D-3He Tokamak-Reactor Study," Proceedings of IEEE 14th Symposium on Fusion Engineering, San Diego, CA (Oct. 1991), Vol. 1, 213 (Sept. 30 - Oct. 4, 1991).

G.A. Emmert et al., "An Improved First Stability Advanced Fuel Tokamak, Apollo-L3," Proceedings of IEEE 14th Symposium on Fusion Engineering, San Diego, CA (Oct. 1991), Vol. 2, 1106 (Sept. 30 - Oct. 4, 1991).

M.E. Sawan et al., "Organic Cooled First Wall and Shield Design for the ARIES-III D-3He Reactor," Proceedings of IEEE 14th Symposium on Fusion Engineering, San Diego, CA (Oct. 1991), Vol. 2, 1110 (Sept. 30 - Oct. 4, 1991).

G.L. Kulcinski et al., "Apollo-L3, An Advanced Fuel Fusion Power Reactor Utilizing Direct and Thermal Energy Conversion," Fusion Technology, Vol. 19, No. 3, Part 2A, 791 (May 1991).

G.A. Emmert et al., "Apollo-L2, An Advanced Fuel Tokamak Reactor Utilizing Direct Conversion," Proceedings of IEEE 13th Symposium on Fusion Engineering, Knoxville, Tennessee, Vol. 2, 1043 (Oct. 1989).

L.A. El-Guebaly, "Shielding Design Options and Impact on Reactor Size and Cost for the Advanced Fuel Reactor Apollo," Proceedings of IEEE 13th Symposium on Fusion Engineering, Knoxville, Tennessee, Vol. 1, 388 (Oct. 1989).

G.L. Kulcinski et al., "Apollo - An Advanced Fuel Fusion Power Reactor for the 21st Century, Fusion Technology 15, No. 2, Part 2B, 1233 (March 1989).

G.A. Emmert, L. El-Guebaly, et al., "Possibilities for Breakeven and Ignition of D-3He Fusion Fuel in a Near Term Tokamak," Nuclear Fusion, 29, No. 9, 1427 (1989).