PROLIFERATION ASPECTS OF FUTURE COMMERCIAL FUSION POWER PLANTS

Year
2014
Author(s)
Matthias Engler - Interdisciplinary Research Group in Science, Technology and Security (IANUS), Darmstadt University of Technology, German
Moritz Kütt - Interdisciplinary Research Group in Science, Technology and Security (IANUS), Darmstadt University of Technology, Germany
Friederike Frieß - Interdisciplinary Research Group in Science, Technology and Security (IANUS), Darmstadt University of Technology, Germany
Abstract
Like other intense neutron sources fusion reactors could be used for military purposes. Although the use of fissile material is usually not considered for fusion reactors (except in fusion-fission hybrid concepts) quantitative estimates about the possible production potential of future commercial fusion reactor concepts show that significant amounts of weapon grade fissile material could be produced even with very limited amounts of source materials. In this paper we present detailed burnup calculations for uranium replacing the liquid lead-lithium alloy in the fusion reactor blankets using VESTA and MCMATH with an MCNP model of the power plant conceptual study A (PPCS-A). We compare different irradiation positions and the isotopic vectors of the plutonium bred in different blankets of the reactor wall. The technical, regulatory and policy challenges to manage the proliferation risks of fusion power will be addressed as well. Some of these challenges would benefit if addressed at an early stage of the research and development process. Hence, research on fusion reactor safeguards should start as early as possible and accompany the current research on experimental fusion reactors.