Thermal analysis of conduction cooled blankets for fusion reactors

Thermal Analyses of a Minimum Activity Conduction Cooled Blanket (CCB) for TNS/EPR reactors are presented. The blanket is a simple structure of long hexagonal aluminum (SAP) rods, approximately 20 cm in length and approximately 1 cm in diameter, welded or brazed into water cooled modular aluminum alloy plates (approximately 5 to 10 cm thick) which are attached to the primary shield. The plates are cooled by separate, redundant water cooling circuits. B4C inserts in the hexagonal rods increase neutron attentuation. The transient and steady state thermal characteristics of CCB are examined. The results of the effects of peak wall load, dwell time between burns, and B4C volume fraction on the maximum first wall temperature and maximum first wall temperature variation (T/sub max/ to T/sub min/) are given for a constant plasma burn time of 30 seconds