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Fusion research tackles fuel and instrumentation challenges
Three research groups are reporting fusion-related developments, including ongoing work toward spin-polarized fusion, a new plasma diagnostic tool heading to the National Ignition Facility, and a materials science project that could impact the design of inertial confinement fusion fuel targets.
Tsuguyuki Kobayashi
Nuclear Technology | Volume 166 | Number 2 | May 2009 | Pages 134-145
Technical Papers | Thermal Hydraulics | doi.org/10.13182/NT09-A7400
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Design limits on the accumulated decay heat in the molten salt of an electrorefiner (ER) are proposed based on two-dimensional steady-state calculations. It was found that forced convection cooling of the outer surface of the ER allows ~30 to 40% larger decay heat than that for natural circulation cooling. The validity of a steady-state calculation is confirmed by comparison with a one-dimensional non-steady-state calculation. Estimated decay heat limits are compared with that of NaCl resulting from the bonding Na in the spent metallic fuel and the lanthanides concentration in the salt. These comparisons suggest that consideration of the decay heat is very important for the continuous usage of the salt in the ER.