Upgrade of a fusion accident analysis code and its application to a comparative study of seven fusion reactor designs

Fusion energy has the potential to be a safe and environmentally favorable energy source. The importance of safety necessitates the existence of a computer code having the capability of assessing off-site impacts resulting from postulated fusion reactor accidents. The FUSCRAC3 computer code has been developed for this purpose. FUSCRAC3 calculates doses resulting from inhalation, groundshine, and cloudshine for 259 isotopes as well as doses resulting from ingestion for 145 isotopes. FUSCRAC3's data base includes the most up-to-date dose conversion factors for all four exposure pathways as well as the most current environmental transfer factors for the ingestion pathway. This work presents a detailed description of the modifications made to the existing fusion reactor accident code, FUSCRAC2, in the development of the more advanced FUSCRAC3 computer code. Also included is a report of the validation procedures. Finally, the improved computer code was applied in two ways: to provide a general data base presenting rem per curie data for each isotope and to assess the doses resulting from possible releases from the reactors evaluated in the ESECOM study. Regarding the latter application, it was found that the general trends established in the original study remained unchanged. However, it was determined that the inclusion of the ingestion pathway substantially affects the overall chronic dose. Isotopes of particular interest due to the ingestion contribution include H-3, Ca-45, Fe-55, and Po-210. 12 refs., 2 figs., 12 tabs