4 ms·
This sort of thing? https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4323282 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4323282 My physics is fairly limited, but I'm not familia
by nmca 7y ago
This sort of thing? https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4323282 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4323282 My physics is fairly limited, but I'm not familiar of many cases where induced radioactivity has ever been a concern, or neutron bombardment has caused physical damage? Hoping for pointers :)
- pfdietz 7y agoVaguely, but at much higher radiation doses. Every atom in the first wall of a DT fusion reactor will be knocked out of position by a neutron about once every three days, on average. The material properties will progressively degrade. Metals will swell and become brittle. Some of the atoms will be transmuted, producing new radioactive ones and sometimes hydrogen or helium atoms that will diffuse into defects, forming high pressure gas bubbles. Even in so-called "advanced fuel" reactors, burning a mixture other than DT, there will be enough neutrons to render the reactor structure too radioactive for hands-on maintenance. This will greatly complicate the problem of fixing the reactor if it breaks.