Pacific Northwest Laboratory report on fusion energy research
Abstract
The development of economic data for fusion power plants continued in a study estimating the potential impact of a shortage of materials important in fusion plant construction. In studies developing heat transfer and fluid flow design tools for fusion reactor blankets, preconceptual design studies were initiated to identify the potential design limits of water cooling in the first wall of Tokamak Next Step (TNS) concepts. In surface effects research clean gold samples were irradiated in the neutron source for a neutron sputtering experiment. Light ion and neutron irradiation experiments continued in studies of the effects of radiation on mechanical properties. Neutron irradiations of Ni, 316SS, and Nb wires and foils were completed. Work continues in studies developing acoustic emission (AE) techniques for determining the prebreakdown behavior and failure mechanisms in electric insulators with potential applications in fusion reactors. Scoping experiments with the high-vacuum dielectric breakdown apparatus were conducted.
- Publication:
-
Progress Report
- Pub Date:
- July 1977
- Bibcode:
- 1977bpnl.rept......
- Keywords:
-
- Fluid Flow;
- Fusion Reactors;
- Heat Transfer;
- Neutron Irradiation;
- Nuclear Fusion;
- Gold;
- Mechanical Properties;
- Nickel;
- Niobium;
- Reactor Safety;
- Tokamak Devices;
- Plasma Physics