Neutronics assessment of advanced shield materials using metal hydride and borohydride for fusion reactors

Hayashi, Takao; Tobita, Kenji; Nishio, Satoshi; Ikeda, Kazuki*; Nakamori, Yuko*; Orimo, Shinichi*; DEMO Plant Design Team

Fusion Engineering and Design, 81(8-14), p.1285 - 1290, 2006/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2005.09.060

Neutron transport calculations were carried out to evaluate the capability of metal hydrides and borohydrides as an advanced shielding material. Some hydrides indicated considerably higher hydrogen content than polyethylene and solid hydrogen. The hydrogen-rich hydrides show superior neutron shielding capability to the conventional materials. From the temperature dependence of dissociation pressure, ZrH and TiH can be used without releasing hydrogen at the temperature of less than 640 C at 1 atm. ZrH and Mg(BH) can reduce the thickness of the shield by 30% and 20% compared to a combination of steel and water, respectively. Mixing some hydrides with F82H produces considerable effects in -ray shielding. The neutron and -ray shielding capabilities decrease in order of ZrH Mg(BH) and F82H TiH and F82H water and F82H.