Bowing of solid breeder fuel pins and multiplier rods in a pin-type fusion blanket

The most important outcome of this bowing analysis is the determination of the number of internal breeder rod supports required for good thermal performance. Although many effects were considered, the swelling deformations were the most restrictive in terms of the peak deflections. It appears that three internal supports should be sufficient to keep the rod bowing below acceptable levels without significantly raising the structure-to-breeder ratio. The most severe interaction problem involved the last multiplier row and the first breeder row. Because the Be rods deflect very little, this problem can be alleviated by leaving enough space between these two zones. The spacing can be tighter elsewhere. A more detailed analysis of the multiplier rod bowing caused by the damage gradient must be analyzed before this can be verified