The nuclear performance of vanadium as a structural material infusion reactor blankets

Abstract

The nuclear performance of vanadium as a structural material in a deuterium-tritium fusion reactor is discussed. For comparison, calculations are also presented for niobium. The areas considered include: (1) tritium breeding; (2) nuclear heating; (3) radiation effects relating to material damage; and (4) neutron-induced activity. It is concluded that: (1) the tritium breeding characteristics of vanadium are somewhat superior to those of niobium; (2) nuclear heating in the first wall of the blanket will be substantially lower with vanadium than with niobium; (3) helium and hydrogen production in the first wall will be significantly greater with vanadium than with niobium; and (4) vanadium will exhibit an afterheat and biological hazard several orders of magnitude lower than that of niobium for times-after-shutdown of ~ 100 days and greater.