Activation Characteristics of Different Steel Alloys Proposed for Near Term Fusion Reactors

Abstract

Analyses have been made for different structural alloys proposed for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). Candidate alloys include austenitic steels stabilized with nickel (NiSS) or manganese (MnSS). The radioactivity, the decay heat, and the US waste disposal rating of each alloy have been calculated for the inboard shield of the ITER design option utilizing water cooled solid breeder blanket. The results show, for the .55 m thick inboard shield and after 3 MW.yr/m2 fluence, that the long term activation problems, e.g. radioactive waste, of the MnSS are much less than that of the NiSS. All the MnSS alloys considered are qualified as Class C or better low level waste. Most of the NiSS alloys are not qualified for near surface burial. However, the short term decay heat generation rate for the MnSS is much higher than that of the NiSS.