Energetic Viability of a Dense Plasma Focus‑Based Fusion‑Fission Hybrid Reactor: Gas‑Cooled Fast Reactor Concept-Scilight

New Energy Exploitation and Application

Article

Energetic Viability of a Dense Plasma Focus‑Based Fusion‑Fission Hybrid Reactor: Gas‑Cooled Fast Reactor Concept

Downloads

https://doi.org/10.54963/neea.v4i1.1253
García Gallardo, J. A. (2025). Energetic Viability of a Dense Plasma Focus‑Based Fusion‑Fission Hybrid Reactor: Gas‑Cooled Fast Reactor Concept. New Energy Exploitation and Application, 4(1), 175–186. https://doi.org/10.54963/neea.v4i1.1253
Volume 4 Issue 1: June 2025
Copyright (c) 2025 Jorge A. García Gallardo
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright

The authors shall retain the copyright of their work but allow the Publisher to publish, copy, distribute, and convey the work.

License

New Energy Exploitation and Application (NEEA)  publishes accepted manuscripts under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Authors who submit their papers for publication by New Energy Exploitation and Application (NEEA) agree to have the CC BY 4.0 license applied to their work, and that anyone is allowed to reuse the article or part of it free of charge for any purpose, including commercial use. As long as the author and original source is properly cited, anyone may copy, redistribute, reuse and transform the content.

Authors

  • Jorge A. García Gallardo

    Bariloche Atomic Centre, National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA), Bariloche CP 8400, Argentina

Received: 22 April 2025; Revised: 18 May 2025; Accepted: 20 May 2025; Published: 5 June 2025

The Fusion‑Fission Hybrid Reactor (FFHR) is a sort of reactor that generates energy through a subcritical set, using neutrons produced in a nuclear fusion device. The viability of such a reactor has already been studied by many authors. One of the most challenging problems to solve is that the energy generated by fission is usually insufficient to feed the fusion device, but this could be addressed by using a Dense Plasma Focus (DPF) as a neutron source in conjunction with the so‑called Multiplying Cascade (MC), which is a concentric arrangement of the fuel elements. The DPF is a very cheap and simple device that acts as a pulsed neutron source and seems to be promising in the future nuclear industry. The use of composite materials like cermets as fuel can improve energy efficiency by raising the operational temperature of the core. Also, a blanket of FLiBe, which is a molten salt, can provide the required amount of tritium by using the outgoing neutron flux. Because of the fast spectrum of this device, the use of gas as a coolant becomes convenient. In this way, the FFHR becomes a Gas‑cooled Fast Reactor (GFR), allowing it to combine high temperature and fast spectrum. It is possible to find a function of energy that indicates under what conditions the reactor can run. As the system includes fusion and fission in the same device, it inherits from both processes the concepts of criticality and break‑even at the same time.

Keywords:

Fusion‑Fission Hybrid Reactor Dense Plasma Focus Cermet FLiBe Gas‑cooled Fast Reactor

References

  1. Bethe, H.A. The fusion hybrid. Phys. Today 1979, 32, 44–51.
  2. Nifenecker, H.; David, S.; Loiseaux, J.M.; et al. Hybrid Nuclear Reactors. Prog. Part. Nucl. Phys. 1999, 43, 683–827.
  3. Acır, A.; Übeyli, M. Burning of Reactor Grade Plutonium Mixed with Thorium in a Hybrid Reactor. J. Fusion Energy 2007, 26, 293–298.
  4. Şahin, S.; Şahin, H.M.; Acır, A. LIFE hybrid reactor as reactor grade plutonium burner. Energy Convers. Manag. 2012, 63, 44–50.
  5. Şahin, S.; Şahin, H.M.; Acır, A. Utilization of Reactor Grade Plutonium as Energy Multiplier in the LIFE engine. Fusion Sci. Technol. 2012, 61, 216–221.
  6. Plukienė, R.; Plukis, A.; Juodis, L.; et al. Transmutation considerations of LWR and RBMK spent nuclear fuel by the fusion–fission hybrid system. Nucl. Eng. Des. 2018, 330, 241–249.
  7. Stacey, W.M.; Stewart, C.L.; Floyd, J.-P.; et al. Resolution of fission and fusion technology integration issues: An upgraded design concept for the subcritical advanced burner reactor. Nucl. Technol. 2014, 187, 15–43.
  8. Lee, S.; Saw, S.H. The Plasma Focus–Numerical Experiments, Insights and Applications. In Plasma Science and Technology for Emerging Economies; Rawat, R.S., Ed.; Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.: Singapore, 2017; pp. 113–232.
  9. Scholz, M. Plasma-Focus and Controlled Nuclear Fusion; Institute of Nuclear Physics: Krakow, Poland, 2014.
  10. Lerner, E.J.; Hassan, S.M.; Karamitsos-Zivkovic, I.; et al. Focus fusion: Overview of progress towards p–B11 fusion with the dense plasma focus. J. Fusion Energy 2023, 42, 7.
  11. Lerner, E.J.; Murali, S.K.; Blake, A.M.; et al. Fusion reaction scaling in a mega-amp dense plasma focus. Nukleonika 2012, 57(2), 205–209.
  12. Lerner, E.J.; Hassan, S.M.; Karamitsos, I.; et al. Confined ion energy 200 keV and increased fusion yield in a DPF with monolithic tungsten electrodes and pre-ionization. Phys. Plasmas 2017, 24, 102708.
  13. García Gallardo, J.A.; Giménez, M.A.N. Self-sustainability and energy-balance in a fast Fusion–Fission Hybrid Reactor (FFHR) based on Dense Plasma Focus (DPF) and multiplicative cascade. Prog. Nucl. Energy 2022, 147, 104184.
  14. Clausse, A.; Soto, L.; Friedli, C.; et al. Feasibility study of a hybrid subcritical fission system driven by plasma-focus fusion neutrons. Ann. Nucl. Energy 2015, 78, 10–14.
  15. Talebi, H.; Kiai, S.M.S. Conceptual design of a hybrid fusion–fission reactor with intrinsic safety and optimized energy productivity. Ann. Nucl. Energy 2017, 105, 106–115.
  16. Kiai, S.M.S.; Talebi, H.; Adlparvar, S. A compact fusion–fission hybrid reactor. J. Fusion Energy 2018, 37, 161–167.
  17. Zohuri, B. Generation IV Nuclear Reactors; Elsevier: Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2020.
  18. Schultz, K.R. Gas-Cooled Fusion–Fission Hybrid Reactor Systems. J. Fusion Energy 1981, 1, 163–183.
  19. Barnert, H.; Kugeler, K. HTR plus modern turbine technology for higher efficiencies. In Proceedings of Technical committee meeting on design and development of gas cooled reactors with closed cycle gas turbines, Beijing, China, 30 October–2 November 1995; pp. 67–82.
  20. Strengthened superalloy for gas turbine blades. Met. Powder Rep. 1992, 47(10), 24–28. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0026-0657(92)91888-Q
  21. Schubert, W.-D. Gas turbines for power plants and mechanical drive applications. Tungsten Newsletter. Tungsten in Superalloys, March 2017, pp. 17–18. Available online: https://www.itia.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ITIA_Newsletter_2017_03.pdf (accessed on 5 May 2025).
  22. Yang, X.; Qu, X.; Wang, J. Combined cycle-coupled high-temperature and very high-temperature gas-cooled reactors: Part I–Cycle optimization. Ann. Nucl. Energy 2019, 134, 193–204.
  23. Kwon, H.M.; Moon, S.W.; Kim, T.S.; et al. A study on 65% potential efficiency of the gas turbine combined cycle. J. Mech. Sci. Technol. 2019, 33(9), 4535–4543.
  24. Bhattacharyya, S.K. An assessment of fuels for nuclear thermal propulsion. ANL/TD/TM01-22, 12 December 2001. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2172/822135
  25. Reid, R.E.; Semple, E.L.; Simpson, J.D. Selection of 710 reference reactor. GEMP-514, May 1967. General Electric Co.: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
  26. Hickman, R.; Broadway, J. Hot Hydrogen Testing of Tungsten–Uranium Dioxide (W–UO₂) CERMET Fuel Materials for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center: Huntsville, AL, USA, 2010.
  27. Song, J.; An, W.; Wu, Y.; et al. Neutronics and Thermal Hydraulics Analysis of a Conceptual Ultra-High Temperature MHD Cermet Fuel Core for Nuclear Electric Propulsion. Front. Energy Res. 2018, 6, 29.
  28. Fan, Y.; Yan, R.; Zhu, G.; et al. Design of a prismatic CERMET megawatt gas-cooled reactor (PC-MGCR) for deep space exploration. Ann. Nucl. Energy 2025, 221, 110946.
  29. Morales, A.A.; Pfeiffer, H.; Delfin, A.; et al. Phase transformations on lithium silicates under irradiation. Mater. Lett. 2001, 50, 36–40.
  30. Tang, T.; Zhang, Z.; Meng, J.-B.; et al. Synthesis and characterization of lithium silicate powders. Fusion Eng. Des. 2009, 82(12), 2124–2130.
  31. Carella, E.; Hernández, T. Ceramics for fusion reactors: The role of the lithium orthosilicate as breeder. Phys. B 2012, 407, 4431–4435.
  32. Cruz, D.; Bulbulian, S.; Lima, E.; et al. Kinetic analysis of the thermal stability of lithium silicates (Li₄SiO₄ and Li₂SiO₃). J. Solid State Chem. 2006, 179(3), 909–916.
  33. Che Zainul Bahri, C.N.A.; Mohd Al-Areqi, W.; Mohd Ruf, M.I.F.; et al. Characteristic of molten fluoride salt system LiF–BeF₂ (FLiBe) and LiF–NaF–KF (Flinak) as coolant and fuel carrier in molten salt reactor (MSR). AIP Conf. Proc. 2017, 1799, 040008.
  34. Cadwallader, L.C.; Longhurst, G.R. Flibe use in fusion reactors: An initial safety assessment. INEEL/EXT-99-00331, 1 April 1999. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2172/911494
  35. Williams, D.F.; Toth, L.M.; Clarno, K.T. Assessment of candidate molten salt coolants for the advanced high-temperature reactor (AHTR). ORNL/TM-2006/12, 24 March 2006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2172/885975
  36. Wu, Y. Neutronics design principles of fusion–fission hybrid reactors. In Fusion Neutronics; Wu, Y., Ed.; Springer: Berlin, Germany, 2017; pp. 283–308.
  37. García Gallardo, J.A.; Giménez, M.A.N.; Gervasoni, J.L. Nuclear properties of tungsten under 14 MeV neutron irradiation for fusion–fission hybrid reactors. Ann. Nucl. Energy 2020, 147, 107739.
  38. Nukulin, V.Y.; Polukhin, S.N. Saturation of the neutron yield from megajoule plasma focus. Plasma Phys. Rep. 2007, 33(4), 271–277.
  39. Karami, F.; Rosham, M.V.; Habibi, M.; et al. Neutron yield scaling with inductance in plasma focus. IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 2015, 43(7), 2155–2159.
  40. Frignani, M.; Mannucci, S.; Mostacci, D.; et al. Short circuit tests on a 150 kJ, 1 Hz repetitive plasma focus. Czech. J. Phys. 2006, 56, B413–B418.
  41. Brovchenko, M.; Kloosterman, J.L.; Luzzi, L.; et al. Neutronic benchmark of the molten salt fast reactor in the frame of the EVOL and MARS collaborative projects. Nucl. Sci. Technol. 2019, 5, 2.
  42. Kirsch, L.E.; Devlin, M.; Mosby, S.M.; et al. A new measurement of the ⁶Li(n, α)t cross section at MeV energies using ²⁵²Cf fission chamber and ⁶Li scintillators. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A 2017, 874, 57–65.
  43. Carlson, A.D.; Pronyayev, V.G.; Capote, R.; et al. Evaluation of the neutron data standards. Nucl. Data Sheets 2018, 148, 143–188.
  44. Brown, F.; James, R.H.; Perkin, J.L.; et al. The cross section of the ⁷Li(n, t) reaction for neutron energies between 3.5 and 15 MeV. J. Nucl. Energy Part A/B 1963, 17, 137–141.
  45. Liskien, H.; Paulsen, A. Determination of ⁷Li(n, t) cross sections between 6 and 10 MeV. Ann. Nucl. Energy 1981, 8, 423–429.
  46. Smith, D.L.; Bretscher, M.M.; Meadows, J.W. Measurement of the cross section for the ⁷Li(n, n’t)⁴He reaction in the 7– to 9–MeV energy range. Nucl. Sci. Eng. 1981, 78, 359–369.