3 ms·
I knew neutrons was a headache with nuclear energy in general, but I didn't know it was that bad. I would not be excited about attacking the problem of how to
by vintermann 4y ago
I knew neutrons was a headache with nuclear energy in general, but I didn't know it was that bad.
I would not be excited about attacking the problem of how to safely get energy out of a soup of hot, corrosive, exotic radionuclides.
- pfdietz 4y agoAnd DT fusion neutrons are even worse than fission neutrons, since they are much more energetic (and because only 3% of the energy in a fission reactor is released in neutrons.) The 14 MeV DT neutrons are above the threshold for (n,p) and (n,alpha) reactions, which cause gas to accumulate in reactor materials. The helium produced by (n,alpha) reactions accumulates in tiny bubbles that would reach extreme pressures and rip materials apart.