Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, including Christopher Ehrich, Christian Bachmann, Pavel Pereslavtsev, and Christian Reiter, have been exploring the potential of a proposed fusion reactor called the Volumetric Neutron Source (VNS) tokamak. Their work, published in the journal Fusion Engineering and Design, focuses on validating the VNS tokamak’s design for future fusion power facilities and its potential use in medical isotope production.
The VNS tokamak is designed to test and qualify reactor components for future fusion power plants. It also has potential applications in the production of medical isotopes, which are crucial for various diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The researchers modeled the VNS geometry using two neutronics codes, Serpent and OpenMC, to compare and validate the performance of the reactor’s components.
In their study, the researchers conducted analog neutron-photon coupled simulations to evaluate the VNS tokamak’s vacuum vessel and blanket components. They calculated neutron and photon flux maps in the vacuum vessel and compared neutron and photon spectra, (n,T), and (n,2n) reaction rates in the blanket region between the two models. The results showed excellent agreement in neutron flux and (n,T) reactions, good agreement in (n,2n) detector response, and some regional discrepancies in photon flux depending on the tracking method used in Serpent.
The researchers also compared the computational performance of the two codes on a high-performance computing (HPC) cluster. They found that Serpent had shorter computation times than OpenMC in neutron-photon coupled simulations using both hybrid tracking and delta tracking, but longer in neutron-only simulations.
To demonstrate the VNS tokamak’s capabilities, the researchers presented an exemplary case of radioisotope production. This highlights the potential of the VNS tokamak not only for testing and qualifying reactor components but also for contributing to the production of medical isotopes, which are in high demand for various medical applications.
The findings of this study are significant for the energy sector, particularly for the development of fusion power and the production of medical isotopes. The validation of the VNS tokamak’s design and its potential applications can pave the way for more efficient and effective fusion reactors and contribute to the production of essential medical isotopes.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.