Research On Fuel Cycle And Tritium Resource Sustainability For Fusion Reactor

Nuclear energy is considered to be an advanced approach instead of fossil energy, and the fusion energy has great advantage in richness of resources and less nuclear waste pollution compared to fission energy. Tritium is one of the fuels used in fusion reactor, and is rare in nature (abundance10-16%). Now most of commercial tritium resource is extracted from moderator and coolant of CANada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) type Heavy Water Reactor (HWR), totally kilograms. However,1GW fusion power will consume55.6kg tritium annually. Thus, the tritium self-sufficiency and initial supply for fusion reactor are the key issues which concern the long-term development of fusion energy.After comprehensive investigations in the fusion tritium analysis research field, basing on TAS1.0, a dynamic tritium analysis model for fuel cycle was established, in which duty cycle time were introduced. Basing on the model, a concept of the tritium system was designed for the FDS-MFX(Fusion Driven subcritical Multi-Functional eXperimental Reactor), and the subsystems were presented and discussed in detail on the basis of data obtained by present design and experimental research. The sensitivity analysis of self-sufficiency of FDS-MFX was finished and the effect factors were analyzed and discussed. As a result, challenges and possible solution to achieve tritium self-sufficiency were carried out.Meanwhile, the available tritium resource has been assessed for fusion reactor. Based on the present research, both future fusion tritium demand and the feasible ways for tritium production were estimated (feasibility and economy). The tritium production rate in CANDU reactor and other possible routes were simulated and estimated. Basing on the tritium requirement investigated according to ITER test schedule and startup inventory required for FDS-MFX, the assessment results showed the available tritium inventory and possible tritium requirements of fusion energy.As a summary, on the basis of R&D activities for fusion reactor design and fusion fuel cycle in FDS Team, a research of modeling and method of tritium fuel cycle for fusion reactor were established, and on the consideration of tritium resources adequacy, the feasibility of fusion reactor was verificated. On the precondition of fusion reactor tritium resource demand and self-sufficiency requirements, the future fusion reactor development scheme is proposed.