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CHE566H1: Introduction to Nuclear Engineering May 12, 2014


Quiz #1: Description of Fusion Reactor

The main characteristics of the University of Wisconsin (Madison) UWMAK-II tokamak
fusion reactor appear in the tables and figure below.


Characteristics of UWMAK-II




Cross Section () of the UWMAK-II Toroid

CHE566H1: Introduction to Nuclear Engineering 2/2

Description of Blanket and Shield Region


The tokamak is fuelled with deuterium and tritium which results in the reaction
MeV Q n He H H 6 . 17
4 3 2
= + +
where n is a 14-MeV neutron whose energy is captured in the thermal blanket.
In this reactor design the blanket includes a breeder region which contains both
beryllium and lithium aluminosilicate glass (Li2Al2O3SiO2). The function of the
beryllium is to moderate the fast neutrons and also multiply their numbers via an
(n,2n) reaction. The lithium serves to generate more energy and tritium via the
following nuclear reaction:
MeV Q He H n Li 8 . 4
4 3 6
= + +
The density of Li2Al2O3SiO2 is 2.37 g/cm
3
, and its composition by weight is oxygen
(52%), lithium (7.1%), aluminum (11.5%) and silicon (29.4%). This material is in
the form of glass pebbles whose packing fraction in the breeder region of the blanket
is 0.625 (see figure below). Lithium-6 comprises 7.59 wt% of natural lithium. Heat is
removed by helium gas flowing through the glass pebble bed.
Tritium decays via beta decay to helium-3:
MeV Q e He H 019 . 0
0
1
3
2
3
1
= + +

and emits an 18.6 keV photon.