Liquid first walls for magnetic fusion energy configurations

Liquids (∼ 7 neutron mean free paths thick), with certain restrictions, can probably be used in magnetic fusion designs between the burning plasma and the structural materials of the fusion power core. If this works there would be a number of profound advantages: a cost of electricity lower by as much as a factor of 2; removal of the need to develop new first wall materials, saving over 4 billion US dollars in development costs; a reduction of the amount and kinds of wastes generated in the plant; and the wider choice of materials permitted. The amount of material that evaporates from the liquid which can be allowed to enter the burning plasma is estimated to be less than 0.7% for lithium, 1.9% for Flibe (Li2BeF4 or LiBeF3) and 0.01% for Li17Pb83. The ability of the edge plasma to attenuate the vapour by ionization appears to exceed this requirement. This ionized vapour would be swept along open field lines into a remote burial chamber. The most practical systems would be those with topological open field lines on the outer surface, as is the case with a field reversed configuration (FRC), a spheromak, a Z pinch or a mirror machine. In a tokamak, including a spherical tokamak, the field lines outside the separatrix are restricted to a small volume inside the toroidal coil making for difficulties in introducing the liquid and removing the ionized vapour, i.e. the configuration is not open ended. (author). 17 refs, 9 figs, 2 tabs