JPH0675071A - Fusion reactor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an economical fusion reactor which recovers radiation energy from high temperature plasma CONSTITUTION:With a strong magnetic field generated by superconduction coil, high temperature plasma 1 capable of generating fusion reaction is contained in a blanket 2. On the inner wall surface 12 of the blanket 2, a solar battery 11 is arranged. This solar battery 11 converts the radiation energy generated by the high temperature plasma 1 into electric energy and recovers the radiation energy to be lost by radiation unavilable of containing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a nuclear fusion reactor, and more particularly to a nuclear fusion reactor capable of collecting radiant energy and improving efficiency.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows, for example, "current state of nuclear fusion research and development."
It is a partially broken perspective view showing an example of a conventional fusion reactor described in (Nuclear Research Institute issue, 1991 edition). This fusion reactor is a tokamak type device called ITER. Currently, Japan, the United States, Europe and the Soviet Union are jointly conducting research and development, and the Atomic Energy Research Institute is the central research institute in Japan. . The conventional fusion reactor has a high temperature plasma 1 on the innermost side and a blanket 2, a superconducting coil 3, an exhaust port 4, a support structure 5, etc. on the outer side thereof. Here, in the figure, a human 6 is shown at the same time so that the size of the device can be understood.

FIG. 5 shows, for example, the fusion power generation reactor shown in "Fig. 3.1.2, Mechanism of Fusion Power Generation Reactor" (current state of fusion research and development, p.24, published by Atomic Energy Research Institute, 1991 edition). 7 is a conceptual diagram of a plasma heating device for maintaining the high temperature plasma 1 at a high temperature, 8 is an ultra-high vacuum pump for evacuating a region where plasma exists to an ultra-high vacuum through an exhaust port 4, and 9 is a heat The exchangers 10 are turbine generators connected to the heat exchanger 9.

Next, the operation of the above conventional fusion reactor will be described. First, the region where plasma is present is maintained at an ultra-high vacuum by the ultra-high vacuum pump 8 via the exhaust port 4, and cooling water is circulated through the blanket 2 via the heat exchanger 9. Then, a strong magnetic field is generated by the superconducting coil 3, and the high temperature plasma 1 that causes a nuclear fusion reaction is confined by the strong magnetic field. The high temperature plasma 1 is maintained at a high temperature by the plasma heating device 7. The cooling water that has flowed into the blanket 2 is heat-exchanged with the fusion reaction energy in the high-temperature plasma 1, becomes high-temperature water, and flows out, and finally drives the turbine generator 10 through the heat exchanger 9. As a result, nuclear energy generated by the reaction is extracted as electric energy.

Therefore, in order to act as a fusion reactor, the nuclear energy produced must be greater than the energy used to maintain the reactor and heat the plasma. The condition for this can be shown in the graph of the parameter obtained by the value obtained by multiplying the plasma temperature and the density by the confinement time, and this is shown in FIG. here,
Figure 6 shows the “current state of nuclear fusion research and development” (published by Atomic Energy Research Institute,
1991 edition) p. 25, “Fig. 3.1.3, Progress of plasma characteristics related to tokamak fusion” is quoted.
FIG. 6 shows a region called a critical plasma condition, which is a condition for balancing the input power and the output power, and a self-ignition condition, which is a condition for maintaining the high temperature of the plasma by itself without external heating. Has been done.

These conditions were invented by Lawson of the United Kingdom, and the energy generated by the nuclear reaction directly heats the plasma, but the energy of light lost by radiation from the plasma cannot be confined. There is. This lost radiant energy is determined by the plasma parameters and has a large value in each actual fusion reactor.

[0007]

In designing a conventional fusion reactor, the conditions of plasma parameters as shown in FIG. 6 are required, which requires a long confinement time, high density, and high temperature. It has been. This is technically difficult, and many efforts are currently being made to solve this problem, but none have been done. Further, the radiant energy from the plasma wastes the heating energy. For this reason, there was a problem that the economical efficiency of the fusion reactor deteriorates.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to improve the economical efficiency of a nuclear fusion reactor and obtain a rational economical nuclear fusion reactor.

[0009]

A fusion reactor according to the present invention comprises a blanket, a superconducting coil for confining a high temperature plasma that causes a fusion reaction in the blanket, and a light / radiant energy generated from the high temperature plasma. And an opto-electric converter for converting into energy.

[0010]

In the present invention, the opto-electric converter can recover the radiant energy which cannot be confined originally and is lost by radiation from the high temperature plasma, and the economical efficiency of the fusion reactor can be improved.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Example 1. 1 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts of a nuclear fusion reactor showing a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same or corresponding parts as those of the conventional nuclear fusion reactor shown in FIG. Omit it. In the figure, 11 is a solar cell as a photoelectric converter, and this solar cell 11 is arranged on the inner wall surface 12 of the blanket 2 so as to face the high temperature plasma 1, and finally connected to the power grid. There is. The superconducting coil 3 and the like are omitted here.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. The radiant light from the high temperature plasma 1 is the blanket 2
Reaches the solar cell 11 arranged on the inner wall surface 12 of the. In the solar cell 11, the light energy of the radiant light is converted into electric energy and is output as electric energy via the electric power network.

The other operation of the first embodiment is shown in FIG.
It operates similarly to the conventional fusion reactor shown in FIG.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the solar cell 11 is disposed on the inner wall surface 12 of the blanket 2 so as to face the high temperature plasma 1. Therefore, the solar cell 11 cannot be originally confined and is radiated from the plasma. The energy of light lost by the solar cell 11 can be recovered, the economical efficiency of the fusion reactor can be improved, and the difficult problem of confining the high temperature plasma 1 can be alleviated.

Example 2. In the first embodiment, the solar cell 11 is arranged on the inner wall surface 12 of the blanket 2 so as to face the high temperature plasma 1. However, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. The solar cell 11 is arranged on the inner wall surface of the exhaust port 4 so as not to face it, and the mirror 14 that reflects the radiant light from the high temperature plasma 1 and guides it to the solar cell 11 is arranged on the wall surface of the blanket 2.

Here, in the nuclear fusion reactor, only deuterium is used as fuel, or deuterium and tritium are used, and fast neutrons 13 are generated from plasma by a nuclear reaction. This high-speed neutron 13 has a bad influence on the solar cell 11 currently used.

In the second embodiment, the radiant light from the high temperature plasma 1 is guided to the solar cell 11 by the mirror 14, the radiant energy is converted into electric energy, and the economical efficiency of the fusion reactor is improved. Furthermore, the solar cell 11 has high-speed neutrons 13
Does not fly, the characteristics of the solar cell 11 are prevented from deteriorating, and the service life is extended.

Example 3. In the first embodiment, the solar cell 11 is used as the opto-electric converter, but in the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, insulation is provided between different kinds of metals 15 and 16 as the opto-electric converter. A photoelectric conversion element having a structure in which the object 17 is sandwiched is used. In addition, in the figure, the flying directions of light and charged particles are indicated by arrows.

In the photoelectric conversion element of the third embodiment, light from the high temperature plasma 1, charged particles, etc. hit the different metals 15, 16 and electrons are emitted from the metals 15, 16. Therefore, an electric potential is generated between the metals 15 and 16, and the metals 15 and 16 are electrically connected to each other, whereby electric energy can be recovered to the outside. Here, in this embodiment, light and charged particles mainly hit the metal 15 and emit electrons, so that the metal 15 is positively charged.

The rate at which the electrons are emitted depends on the metal 15,
It is determined by the properties of 16 and the intensity and distribution of light from the high temperature plasma 1, charged particles, etc., and electrical energy can be efficiently extracted by appropriately designing the structure. Further, the solar cell 11 mainly converts light energy of 1 to 10 eV into electric energy, but since the radiant energy from the high temperature plasma 1 is in a region of higher energy, the solar cells 11 are in the above-mentioned Examples 1 and 2. In comparison, the efficiency of collecting radiant energy can be improved. Further, since the photoelectric conversion element is made of metal instead of semiconductor like the solar cell 11, it is strong against the high-speed neutrons 13 generated from the high temperature plasma 1 and has a long life and can be installed at a large space. There are no restrictions.

In the third embodiment, the photoelectric conversion element is described as having the insulator 17 sandwiched between different kinds of metals 15 and 16, but the photoelectric conversion element is not limited to this. It is not limited to the above, and may be one that causes a potential difference in principle.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, a blanket, a superconducting coil for confining high-temperature plasma that causes a nuclear fusion reaction in the blanket, and light / radiant energy generated from the high-temperature plasma are converted into electric energy. Since it is equipped with an opto-electric converter that can be used, it is possible to recover the radiant energy that cannot be confined originally and is lost due to radiation from the high temperature plasma. There is an effect that an economical fusion reactor can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an essential part of a nuclear fusion reactor showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts of a nuclear fusion reactor showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a photoelectric conversion element in a nuclear fusion reactor showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an example of a conventional fusion reactor.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a fusion power generation reactor using a conventional fusion reactor.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the relationship between the plasma temperature related to tokamak-type fusion and the parameter obtained by the density times the confinement time.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 high temperature plasma 2 blanket 3 superconducting coil 11 solar cell (photo-electric converter) 15 metal (photo-electric converter) 16 metal (photo-electric converter) 17 insulator (photo-electric converter)

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] May 18, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0006

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

These conditions were invented by Lawson of the United Kingdom, and the energy generated by the nuclear reaction directly heats the plasma, but the energy of light lost by radiation from the plasma cannot be confined. There is. The radiant energy lost has become a large value in the actual fusion reactor it depends plasma parameters.

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0011

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Example 1. 1 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts of a nuclear fusion reactor showing a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same or corresponding parts as those of the conventional nuclear fusion reactor shown in FIG. Omit it. In the figure, 11 is a solar cell as a photoelectric converter, and this solar cell 11 is arranged on the inner wall surface 12 of the blanket 2 so as to face the high temperature plasma 1, and finally connected to the power grid. There is. Here, the superconducting coil and the like are omitted.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 5

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 5]

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A blanket, a superconducting coil for confining high-temperature plasma that causes a nuclear fusion reaction in the blanket, and a photoelectric converter for converting light / radiation energy generated from the high-temperature plasma into electric energy. A fusion reactor characterized by the following.