ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Feb 2026
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2026
Nuclear Technology
February 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
January 2026
Latest News
Fusion energy: Progress, partnerships, and the path to deployment
Over the past decade, fusion energy has moved decisively from scientific aspiration toward a credible pathway to a new energy technology. Thanks to long-term federal support, we have significantly advanced our fundamental understanding of plasma physics—the behavior of the superheated gases at the heart of fusion devices. This knowledge will enable the creation and control of fusion fuel under conditions required for future power plants. Our progress is exemplified by breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility and the Joint European Torus.
Ralph W. Moir, Joseph D. Lee, R. Carroll Maninger, William S. Neef, Jr., Albert E. Sherwood, David H. Berwald, Jackson H. DeVan, Jungchung Jung
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 8 | Number 1 | July 1985 | Pages 133-148
Technical Paper | Blanket Comparison and Selection Study | doi.org/10.13182/FST85-A24678
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The concept described for the blanket surrounding a fusion reaction chamber is based on the use of molten fluoride salts to convert fusion energy into electricity and to breed the tritium fuel for the fusion power plant. Helium cools the first-wall and the blanket internals, which consist of a bed of beryllium balls in which neutrons are multiplied. The neutrons are used to breed tritium and also to release extra energy in exothermic nuclear reactions. Tritium is bred in the molten Flibe salt (LiF + BeF2) that flows slowly (∼0.1 m/s) in steel tubes and is removed from the salt and the helium by processing both streams. Because the solubility of tritium in Flibe salt is so low, there is a strong driving force for tritium permeation. A 10-µm-thick tungsten permeation barrier, deposited by chemical vapor deposition on the salt-carrying tubes, is proposed for preventing excessive tritium permeation into the helium stream. A 1-mm-thick aluminum jacket on the steel steam generator tubes is proposed to prevent excessive tritium permeation into the steam system. Flibe salt has safety advantages with respect to large accidents in that it will not react with air or water, in contrast to liquid lithium. For the first time, a method is proposed for recycling solid material in fusion blankets. To accomplish this, beryllium pebbles were chosen because the pebbles can be loaded into the blanket after manufacturing and, to accommodate radiation-induced swelling, can be moved periodically by flowing. Once the balls have reached their radiation damage lifetime, they can be removed from the blanket for refabrication and recycle.