Re-evaluation of the impact of wall retention on Tritium-self-sufficiency in fusion reactors
In recent years several publications have claimed that the retention of tritium (T) in the first wall armor material poses a limitation on when a fusion reactor becomes T-self-sufficient. While the prediction on wall retention therein are correct, the model applied to assess the T-self-sufficiency i...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Nuclear Fusion |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/ada458 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841543593543598080 |
|---|---|
| author | K. Schmid |
| author_facet | K. Schmid |
| author_sort | K. Schmid |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent years several publications have claimed that the retention of tritium (T) in the first wall armor material poses a limitation on when a fusion reactor becomes T-self-sufficient. While the prediction on wall retention therein are correct, the model applied to assess the T-self-sufficiency is based on wrong assumptions and thus, the importance of T-retention in the first wall is greatly overestimated. In this publication the predictions on T-retention in the first wall armor components are included in state of the art residence time models of the entire T-cycle. These calculations show that T-wall-retention only affects T-self-sufficiency when the T-breeding ratio (TBR) is so low that the power plant is only marginally T-self-sufficient. For TBR values that allow for a finite T-doubling time and maintain a T-reserve inventory, the T-production must be so high, that the T-wall-retention is insignificant. The paper will explain the error in the previous T-self-sufficiency estimates, how to correct them and what this means for the conclusions drawn by previous publications. Then an augmented residence time model will be presented, that can include diffusion/trapping model based, time dependent wall loss data. This augmented model results in orders of magnitude higher T-retention in the first wall compared to current assumptions in residence time models. Still, it is negligible compared to the T-content in the entire T-cycle. Thus it can be concluded that based on current material data T-retention in the first wall armor will not affect T-self-sufficiency. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-224fa016bb34414f9c3ebf0da7543cd6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0029-5515 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nuclear Fusion |
| spelling | doaj-art-224fa016bb34414f9c3ebf0da7543cd62025-01-13T08:57:13ZengIOP PublishingNuclear Fusion0029-55152025-01-0165202603910.1088/1741-4326/ada458Re-evaluation of the impact of wall retention on Tritium-self-sufficiency in fusion reactorsK. Schmid0Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics , Boltzmannstrasse 2, 85748 Garching, GermanyIn recent years several publications have claimed that the retention of tritium (T) in the first wall armor material poses a limitation on when a fusion reactor becomes T-self-sufficient. While the prediction on wall retention therein are correct, the model applied to assess the T-self-sufficiency is based on wrong assumptions and thus, the importance of T-retention in the first wall is greatly overestimated. In this publication the predictions on T-retention in the first wall armor components are included in state of the art residence time models of the entire T-cycle. These calculations show that T-wall-retention only affects T-self-sufficiency when the T-breeding ratio (TBR) is so low that the power plant is only marginally T-self-sufficient. For TBR values that allow for a finite T-doubling time and maintain a T-reserve inventory, the T-production must be so high, that the T-wall-retention is insignificant. The paper will explain the error in the previous T-self-sufficiency estimates, how to correct them and what this means for the conclusions drawn by previous publications. Then an augmented residence time model will be presented, that can include diffusion/trapping model based, time dependent wall loss data. This augmented model results in orders of magnitude higher T-retention in the first wall compared to current assumptions in residence time models. Still, it is negligible compared to the T-content in the entire T-cycle. Thus it can be concluded that based on current material data T-retention in the first wall armor will not affect T-self-sufficiency.https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/ada458T-self-sufficiencyDEMOresidence time model |
| spellingShingle | K. Schmid Re-evaluation of the impact of wall retention on Tritium-self-sufficiency in fusion reactors Nuclear Fusion T-self-sufficiency DEMO residence time model |
| title | Re-evaluation of the impact of wall retention on Tritium-self-sufficiency in fusion reactors |
| title_full | Re-evaluation of the impact of wall retention on Tritium-self-sufficiency in fusion reactors |
| title_fullStr | Re-evaluation of the impact of wall retention on Tritium-self-sufficiency in fusion reactors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Re-evaluation of the impact of wall retention on Tritium-self-sufficiency in fusion reactors |
| title_short | Re-evaluation of the impact of wall retention on Tritium-self-sufficiency in fusion reactors |
| title_sort | re evaluation of the impact of wall retention on tritium self sufficiency in fusion reactors |
| topic | T-self-sufficiency DEMO residence time model |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/ada458 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kschmid reevaluationoftheimpactofwallretentionontritiumselfsufficiencyinfusionreactors |