SIRIUS-T, a symmetrically illuminated ICF tritium production facility

A scoping study of a symmetrically illuminating inertial confinement fusion (ICF) tritium production facility utilizing a KrF laser is presented. A single-shell ICF target is illuminated by 92 beams symmetrically distributed around a spherical cavity filled with xenon gas at 1.0 torr. The driver energy and target gain are taken to be 2 MJ and 50, respectively, for the optimistic case, and 1 MJ and 100, respectively, for the conservative case. Based on a graphite dry wall evaporation rate of 0.1 cm/yr for a 100-MJ yield, a cavity radius of 3.5 m for a repetition rate of 10 Hz and 3.0 m for 5 Hz is estimated. A spherical structural frame capable of supporting 92 blanket modules, each with a beam port in the center, has been scoped out. The authors have selected liquid lithium in vanadium structure as the primary breeding concept, utilizing beryllium as a neutron multiplier. A tritium breeding ratio of 1.83 can be achieved in the 3-m radius cavity, which at 10 Hz and an availability of 75% provides an annual tritium surplus of 32.6 kg. Assuming 100% debt financing over a 30-yr reactor lifetime, the production cost of T₂ for the 2-MJ driver case is $7325/g for a 5% interest rate, and $12370/g for a 10% interest rate