Three-Dimensional Nuclear Assessment for the Chamber of Z-Pinch Power Plant

Detailed three-dimensional nuclear analyses have been carried out for the chamber of a power plant concept that utilizes the Z-Pinch driven inertial confinement technology with a target yield of 3 GJ and repetition rate of 0.1 Hz per chamber. The elliptical chamber concept was modeled with the double-layered Recyclable Transmission Lines (RTL). Thick liquid jets are utilized to breed tritium, absorb energy, and shield the chamber wall. Two liquid breeder options were considered; the molten salt Flibe and the LiPb eutectic (Li₁₇Pb₈₃). The chamber wall is made of the low activation ferritic steel alloy F82H. While both breeders have the potential for achieving tritium self-sufficiency, the thermal power is ~6.5% higher with LiPb. However, a 55% thicker jet zone is required with LiPb to provide adequate chamber wall shielding. A thicker chamber wall is required with LiPb to reduce the nuclear energy leakage below 1%. The chamber wall does not need replacement except for the top part around the jet nozzles. Helium production in the chamber wall protected by LiPb is much lower than that with Flibe. Rewelding is possible only in the lower part of chamber wall below the pool.