Can We Recycle Fusion Materials?

Abstract

For a large-scale fusion energy system the ability to recycle materials removed from reactor service could confer several benefits. Firstly, it could extend the resources of strategic chemical elements, thus enhancing the potential of fusion as a sustainable long term energy source and, secondly, it could reduce the quantities of radioactive waste requiring permanent disposal. A number of preliminary studies have been performed to assess the recycling potential of some candidate reactor materials and particular examples of tritium breeders, low activation steels, vanadium alloys, tungsten and copper are briefly described. In most cases, technically-feasible processing routes can be identified for the recovery and reuse of material in the fusion cycle without the generation of large-volume waste streams.