FLiBe-Vanadium Alloy System Corrosion Product Radiation Hazards Analysis

Abstract

An assessment is made of the gamma radiation hazards likely to be found near a fusion reactor which employs a vanadium alloy for the blanket and first wall structure, ferritic-steel HT9 for the remainder of the loop and molten salt FLiBe as coolant/tritium breeding fluid. Since the radiation levels near the primary loop components are found to be less than 100 mR/hr 3–5 days after shutdown after three years of continuous full power operation, limited hands-on maintenance is conceivable. The very short half-lives of the predominant corrosion products make this result possible and make such a system very attractive.