Blanket Cooling of a Fusion Reactor

Nuclear fusion is the gateway to a whole new paradigm of energy and is a strong candidate for the decarbonization of electricity generation on a global scale. With recent developments in high-temperature super-conducting magnets, the race is on to develop sub-systems which will support a commercially viable fusion reactor for use as a thermal power plant. The fusion of lighter elements creates an enormous amount of heat which must be transferred away from the reactor core. These intense conditions require novel approaches to efficiently transfer very high heat loads into useable thermal energy without compromising the structural integrity of the reactor core and the surrounding components. This report outlines the concept of a fundamental approach to solve the heat transfer problem as proposed by Commonwealth Fusion System’s design for a fusion reactor. A literature review was conducted for other applications that could serve as inspirations, as well as material properties and machining methods for the proposed power exhaust system. A dive into the theoretical thermodynamic and fluid dynamic characteristics of plate heat exchangers and finned surfaces was conducted from a fundamental perspective. A laminar flow regime was studied for the purpose of setting the floor for energy needed to pump coolant while simultaneously representing the least favorable heat transfer regime between a solid surface and a fluid. The results served as a basis for dimensioning and executing numerical simulations as a means for a first look into a solution of this heat transfer problem. The results were compared with the theoretical conclusions and judged based on constraints of the system. Recommendations were made for the continued development of a corresponding system.