Neutronics analysis of spin-polarized fuel in spherical tokamaks

The effect of spin-polarized deuterium–tritium fuel on the blanket, magnets, and surrounding structures is analyzed for a spherical tokamak fusion power plant. The focus of this paper is the neutron flux distribution in the fusion device and the corresponding engineering considerations, such as trit...

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Main Authors: Jin Whan Bae, Katarzyna Borowiec, Vittorio Badalassi, Jason Parisi, Ahmed Diallo, Jon Menard, Andrei Khodak, Thomas Brown
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:Nuclear Fusion
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/adf3c6
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author Jin Whan Bae
Katarzyna Borowiec
Vittorio Badalassi
Jason Parisi
Ahmed Diallo
Jon Menard
Andrei Khodak
Thomas Brown
author_facet Jin Whan Bae
Katarzyna Borowiec
Vittorio Badalassi
Jason Parisi
Ahmed Diallo
Jon Menard
Andrei Khodak
Thomas Brown
author_sort Jin Whan Bae
collection DOAJ
description The effect of spin-polarized deuterium–tritium fuel on the blanket, magnets, and surrounding structures is analyzed for a spherical tokamak fusion power plant. The focus of this paper is the neutron flux distribution in the fusion device and the corresponding engineering considerations, such as tritium breeding ratio (TBR) and magnet fluence. Significant benefits were found for anti-aligned polarization: a 2.7% increase in the total TBR (which could increase significantly with further optimization) and an approximately 68% increase in the magnet lifetime. If the inboard breeding blanket can be replaced with extra shielding and magnets, then it could significantly increase fusion power with no loss of magnet lifetime. This would be accomplished by increasing the toroidal field strength.
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spelling doaj-art-d1f43e1dd98a4345a35fb8efda512bda2025-08-20T03:16:18ZengIOP PublishingNuclear Fusion0029-55152025-01-0165808605110.1088/1741-4326/adf3c6Neutronics analysis of spin-polarized fuel in spherical tokamaksJin Whan Bae0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2654-8907Katarzyna Borowiec1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3591-1739Vittorio Badalassi2Jason Parisi3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1328-7154Ahmed Diallo4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0706-060XJon Menard5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1292-3286Andrei Khodak6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8273-6614Thomas Brown7Oak Ridge National Laboratory , 1 Bethel Valley Rd., Oak Ridge 37830, TN, United States of AmericaOak Ridge National Laboratory , 1 Bethel Valley Rd., Oak Ridge 37830, TN, United States of AmericaOak Ridge National Laboratory , 1 Bethel Valley Rd., Oak Ridge 37830, TN, United States of AmericaPrinceton Plasma Physics Laboratory , 100 Stellarator Rd., Princeton 08543, NJ, United States of AmericaPrinceton Plasma Physics Laboratory , 100 Stellarator Rd., Princeton 08543, NJ, United States of AmericaPrinceton Plasma Physics Laboratory , 100 Stellarator Rd., Princeton 08543, NJ, United States of AmericaPrinceton Plasma Physics Laboratory , 100 Stellarator Rd., Princeton 08543, NJ, United States of AmericaPrinceton Plasma Physics Laboratory , 100 Stellarator Rd., Princeton 08543, NJ, United States of AmericaThe effect of spin-polarized deuterium–tritium fuel on the blanket, magnets, and surrounding structures is analyzed for a spherical tokamak fusion power plant. The focus of this paper is the neutron flux distribution in the fusion device and the corresponding engineering considerations, such as tritium breeding ratio (TBR) and magnet fluence. Significant benefits were found for anti-aligned polarization: a 2.7% increase in the total TBR (which could increase significantly with further optimization) and an approximately 68% increase in the magnet lifetime. If the inboard breeding blanket can be replaced with extra shielding and magnets, then it could significantly increase fusion power with no loss of magnet lifetime. This would be accomplished by increasing the toroidal field strength.https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/adf3c6spin-polarizationtritiumfusionspherical tokamakneutronics
spellingShingle Jin Whan Bae
Katarzyna Borowiec
Vittorio Badalassi
Jason Parisi
Ahmed Diallo
Jon Menard
Andrei Khodak
Thomas Brown
Neutronics analysis of spin-polarized fuel in spherical tokamaks
Nuclear Fusion
spin-polarization
tritium
fusion
spherical tokamak
neutronics
title Neutronics analysis of spin-polarized fuel in spherical tokamaks
title_full Neutronics analysis of spin-polarized fuel in spherical tokamaks
title_fullStr Neutronics analysis of spin-polarized fuel in spherical tokamaks
title_full_unstemmed Neutronics analysis of spin-polarized fuel in spherical tokamaks
title_short Neutronics analysis of spin-polarized fuel in spherical tokamaks
title_sort neutronics analysis of spin polarized fuel in spherical tokamaks
topic spin-polarization
tritium
fusion
spherical tokamak
neutronics
url https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/adf3c6
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AT vittoriobadalassi neutronicsanalysisofspinpolarizedfuelinsphericaltokamaks
AT jasonparisi neutronicsanalysisofspinpolarizedfuelinsphericaltokamaks
AT ahmeddiallo neutronicsanalysisofspinpolarizedfuelinsphericaltokamaks
AT jonmenard neutronicsanalysisofspinpolarizedfuelinsphericaltokamaks
AT andreikhodak neutronicsanalysisofspinpolarizedfuelinsphericaltokamaks
AT thomasbrown neutronicsanalysisofspinpolarizedfuelinsphericaltokamaks