Benjamin B. Cipiti

Manufacturing Concepts for an IFE Power Plant Using Z-Pinch Technology

Abstract The Z-Pinch Power Plant (ZP3) uses the results from Sandia National Laboratories’ Z accelerator in a power plant application to generate energy pulses using inertial confinement fusion. A collaborative project has been initiated by Sandia to investigate the scientific principles of a power generation system. Research is underway to investigate the use of recyclable transmission lines to directly connect the wire array and the hohlraum to the pulsed power driver. The resulting power plant will require an intense on-site manufacturing system to rebuild the transmission lines, wire arrays and hohlraums at a rate of 0.1 Hz per power unit. By recycling virtually all of the materials, the system is expected to be economically competitive with other power generation technologies. Current research is investigating the available approaches to manufacturing and determining the cost effectiveness of the alternatives. This paper examines the various options available for manufacturing and development requirements leading to a Proof-of-Principle experiment to demonstrate the technology.

Data validation and security for reprocessing.

Next generation nuclear fuel cycle facilities will face strict requirements on security and safeguards of nuclear material. These requirements can result in expensive facilities. The purpose of this project was to investigate how to incorporate safeguards and security into one plant monitoring system early in the design process to take better advantage of all plant process data, to improve confidence in the operation of the plant, and to optimize costs. An existing reprocessing plant materials accountancy model was examined for use in evaluating integration of safeguards (both domestic and international) and security. International safeguards require independent, secure, and authenticated measurements for materials accountability--it may be best to design stand-alone systems in addition to domestic safeguards instrumentation to minimize impact on operations. In some cases, joint-use equipment may be appropriate. Existing domestic materials accountancy instrumentation can be used in conjunction with other monitoring equipment for plant security as well as through the use of material assurance indicators, a new metric for material control that is under development. Future efforts will take the results of this work to demonstrate integration on the reprocessing plant model.

Engineering issues facing transmutation of actinides in Z-pinch fusion power plant

Abstract The initiation of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership includes nuclear-based transmutation devices to recycle the spent fuel. Fusion can offer an alternative to the use of fast reactors for the transmutation of actinides. At a modest fusion power of 20 MW, a Z-Pinch driven sub-critical blanket can burn actinides and produce power. Several engineering issues have been examined: the effect of the sub-critical blanket and its internal fission neutrons on tritium breeding, radiation damage to structure, energy deposition and extraction, and chamber activation. Our initial assessment indicates the Z-Pinch could be an attractive option for burning actinides, but special attention should be paid to the challenging engineering issues.

The Role of Z-Pinch Fusion Transmutation of Waste in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

The resurgence of interest in reprocessing in the United States with the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership has led to a renewed look at technologies for transmuting nuclear waste. Sandia National Laboratories has been investigating the use of a Z-Pinch fusion driver to burn actinide waste in a sub-critical reactor. The baseline design has been modified to solve some of the engineering issues that were identified in the first year of work, including neutron damage and fuel heating. An on-line control feature was added to the reactor to maintain a constant neutron multiplication with time. The transmutation modeling effort has been optimized to produce more accurate results. In addition, more attention was focused on the integration of this burner option within the fuel cycle including an investigation of overall costs. This report presents the updated reactor design, which is able to burn 1320 kg of actinides per year while producing 3,000 MWth.

Transmutation of Actinides Using Z-Pinch Fusion

Abstract Sandia National Laboratories has initiated a scoping level design of a sub-critical transmutation reactor driven by Z-Pinch fusion. The baseline design is able to burn up 1,280 kg of actinides per year while at the same time producing 3,000 MWth. The fusion driver required for this application is 20 MW, or a 200 MJ target fired once every 10 seconds. This paper discusses how a fusion actinide burner can fit into the nuclear fuel cycle.

Isotopic Analysis of the In-Zinerator Actinide Management System

Abstract Efficient burn up of minor actinides is one of the most promising alternatives for minimizing waste in advanced nuclear fuel cycles. This work examines the concept of employing Z-pinch driven fusion source in a sub-critical transmutation reactor designed to burn up actinides and generate constant power. Its fuel cycle is designed to allow on-line fission product removal and fuel replenishment. The variation of the actinide inventory is an essential quantity used to calculate the energy multiplications and neutron spectrum, as well as to design an appropriate reactivity control mechanism. In this paper we develop a method to calculate timedependent isotopic distributions, fuel feeding rate and fission product removal rate necessary to obtain a constant power level. The calculation is performed by using both MCise, a Monte Carlo isotopic inventory code, and MCNP5. An important feature of MCise for this system is the ability to simulate the on-line removal of fission products from the actinide mixture. In addition to reporting the actinide inventory and burn rates, the impact of the actinide inventory on the fission/fusion energy multiplication will be examined.

Z-inertial fusion energy: power plant final report FY 2006.

This report summarizes the work conducted for the Z-inertial fusion energy (Z-IFE) late start Laboratory Directed Research Project. A major area of focus was on creating a roadmap to a z-pinch driven fusion power plant. The roadmap ties ZIFE into the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) initiative through the use of high energy fusion neutrons to burn the actinides of spent fuel waste. Transmutation presents a near term use for Z-IFE technology and will aid in paving the path to fusion energy. The work this year continued to develop the science and engineering needed to support the Z-IFE roadmap. This included plant system and driver cost estimates, recyclable transmission line studies, flibe characterization, reaction chamber design, and shock mitigation techniques.