Blanket of thermonuclear reactors

Purpose: To enable the operation even under a low pressure while utilizing efficiently the cooling performance and high breeding property of a liquid sodium system. Constitution: A blanket vessel is disposed such that the longitudinal direction thereof is aligned with the magnetic field. Heat exchanging pipes for passing helium gasses are disposed at the central part of the vessel and liquid lithium circulates on the periphery thereof. Electrodes are disposed on both ends at the upper and lower surfaces of the vessel and they are connected to a DC power source. The electric current from the electodes flows vertically in the liquid lithium and produces a driving force in co-operation with the horizontal magnetic field in the direction in perpendicular to both of them. Thus, the liquid lithium can be circulated without high-pressure pump. (Yoshino, Y.)