Structural materials for fusion reactor blanket systems

The blanket is one of the largest and most complex systems in a fusion power reactor. The primary functions of the blanket systems are recovery of heat produced in the plasma and breeding of tritium for the reactor fuel cycle. Performance of the blanket in terms of thermodynamic efficiency of the power conversion cycle, reliability, tritium breeding and lifetime of the system will be major factors in determining the cost of electricity from a fusion power reactor. Numerous possibilities exist from which a compatible combination of blanket structural material, coolant, and breeding media must be selected. It is not possible at this time to establish which combination is optimum. Significantly more information will be required on the performance of materials, particularly the structural material and breeding media, before this can be accomplished. If one selects a structural material then the choice of breeding media and coolant is constrained and limits can be placed on the maximum temperature of the structural material