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LIBRA–A light ion beam inertial confinement fusion reactor conceptual design

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2009

G. A. Moses
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin Fusion Technology Institute and Fusion Power Associates
G. L. Kulcinski
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin Fusion Technology Institute and Fusion Power Associates
D. Bruggink
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin Fusion Technology Institute and Fusion Power Associates
R. Engelstad
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin Fusion Technology Institute and Fusion Power Associates
E. Lovell
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin Fusion Technology Institute and Fusion Power Associates
J. Macfarlane
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin Fusion Technology Institute and Fusion Power Associates
Z. Musicki
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin Fusion Technology Institute and Fusion Power Associates
R. Peterson
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin Fusion Technology Institute and Fusion Power Associates
M. Sawan
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin Fusion Technology Institute and Fusion Power Associates
I. Sviatoslavsky
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin Fusion Technology Institute and Fusion Power Associates
L. Wittenberg
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin Fusion Technology Institute and Fusion Power Associates
G. Kessler
Affiliation:
Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe
U. Von Möllendorff
Affiliation:
Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe
E. Stein
Affiliation:
Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe
I. Smith
Affiliation:
Pulse Sciences, Inc.
P. Corcoran
Affiliation:
Pulse Sciences, Inc.
H. Nishimoto
Affiliation:
Pulse Sciences, Inc.
J. Fockler
Affiliation:
Pulse Sciences, Inc.
D. Cook
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratory
R. Olson
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratory

Abstract

The LIBRA light ion beam fusion commerical reactor study is a self-consistent conceptual design of a 330 MWe power plant with an accompanying economic analysis. Fusion targets are imploded by 4 MJ shaped pulses of 30 MeV Li ions at a rate of 3 Hz. The target gain is 80, leading to a yield of 320 MJ. The high intensity part of the ion pulse is delivered by 16 diodes through 16 separate z-pinch plasma channels formed in lOO torr of helium with trace amounts of lithium. The blanket is an array of porous flexible silicon carbide tubes with Li17Pb83 flowing downward through them. These tubes (INPORT units) shield the target chamber wall from both neutron damage and the shock overpressure of the target explosion. The target chamber is a right circular cylinder, 8·7 meters in diameter. The target chamber is ‘self-pumped’ by the target explosion generated overpressure into a surge tank partially filled with liquid that surrounds the target chamber. This scheme refreshes the chamber at the desired 3 Hz frequency without excessive pumping demands. The blanket multiplication is 1·2 and the tritium breeding ratio is 1·4. The direct capital cost of LIBRA is estimated to be $2200/kWe.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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