Effects of Inelastic Neutron Scattering
in Magnetic Confinement Fusion Devices
Ivana Abramovic
Abstract Components, surrounding the core of a magnetic confinement based
fusion reactor, will be exposed to significant particle and heat fluxes that will cause
severe (in many cases irreversible) damage of the components. In the D-T fusion
reaction 80% of the energy is carried away by the 14 MeV neutrons and the rest by
the emitted alpha particles. Motion of neutrons is not restricted by the present
magnetic field, which is why the damage they cause by interacting with surrounding
materials is to a large extent inevitable. The greater the neutron flux to the material
the larger the damage, and shorter the lifespan of the reactor component taking the
flux. In order to make fusion economically viable it is important to increase the
lifespan of the components since they are costly to produce, replace and dispose of.
It is the premise of this work that neutron inelastic scattering plays an important role
in neutron transport in MCF systems. This reaction mechanism has been overlooked in neutron transport calculations. Planned work entails modeling of inelastic
scattering using reaction codes and results compared with experiment where possible. Data obtained will be further used in neutron transport calculations and in
damage analysis of various materials in order to establish how significant inelastic
scattering is for the viability of fusion energy production.
Keywords Inelastic neutron scattering Á Nuclear reaction modeling Á Magnetic
confinement devices Á Neutron transport Á Irradiation damage
1 Introduction
Nuclear fusion offers a prospect of an inexhaustible source of energy and promises
a reduction of environmental impacts of worlds increasing energy demand. The fact
that scientific and engineering challenges, which have to be surmounted, haven’t
fully been foreseen in the beginning of fusion research has greatly contributed to
I. Abramovic (&)
Department of Nuclear Engineering, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, USA
e-mail: i.abramovic@berkeley.edu
© The Author(s) 2017
J. Ahn et al. (eds.), Resilience: A New Paradigm of Nuclear Safety,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-58768-4_18
229
in Magnetic Confinement Fusion Devices
Ivana Abramovic
Abstract Components, surrounding the core of a magnetic confinement based
fusion reactor, will be exposed to significant particle and heat fluxes that will cause
severe (in many cases irreversible) damage of the components. In the D-T fusion
reaction 80% of the energy is carried away by the 14 MeV neutrons and the rest by
the emitted alpha particles. Motion of neutrons is not restricted by the present
magnetic field, which is why the damage they cause by interacting with surrounding
materials is to a large extent inevitable. The greater the neutron flux to the material
the larger the damage, and shorter the lifespan of the reactor component taking the
flux. In order to make fusion economically viable it is important to increase the
lifespan of the components since they are costly to produce, replace and dispose of.
It is the premise of this work that neutron inelastic scattering plays an important role
in neutron transport in MCF systems. This reaction mechanism has been overlooked in neutron transport calculations. Planned work entails modeling of inelastic
scattering using reaction codes and results compared with experiment where possible. Data obtained will be further used in neutron transport calculations and in
damage analysis of various materials in order to establish how significant inelastic
scattering is for the viability of fusion energy production.
Keywords Inelastic neutron scattering Á Nuclear reaction modeling Á Magnetic
confinement devices Á Neutron transport Á Irradiation damage
1 Introduction
Nuclear fusion offers a prospect of an inexhaustible source of energy and promises
a reduction of environmental impacts of worlds increasing energy demand. The fact
that scientific and engineering challenges, which have to be surmounted, haven’t
fully been foreseen in the beginning of fusion research has greatly contributed to
I. Abramovic (&)
Department of Nuclear Engineering, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, USA
e-mail: i.abramovic@berkeley.edu
© The Author(s) 2017
J. Ahn et al. (eds.), Resilience: A New Paradigm of Nuclear Safety,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-58768-4_18
229