STARFIRE INDUSTRIES LLC — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: 22a

Description

Fusion reactors have a major challenge of handling intense heat and particle loads mirroring that of the sun on conventional materials, such as tungsten or stainless steel. Liquid metals can take heat away from walls of a fusion reactor without significant evaporation or contamination. For high power density, what is needed is very high flow speeds to take the heat away. Traditionally large, expensive pumps are used. What is needed is a more compact, selfcontained solution to decrease the size of fusion devices. What is proposed is a novel technology using the TEMHD effect where a thermal gradient in a liquid metal causes it to flow on its own in the presence of a magnetic field. This effect has been observed in the laboratory but needs to be increased in velocity to handle higher heat fluxes and particle loadings. Through this SBIR, the problem of selfcontained, highvelocity flow loops will be addressed. The commercial benefit is application for compact, sealed neutron generators for industrial applications of imaging, prompt gamma analysis, etc. In Phase I, an alternative target technology with higher velocity flow in a compact form factor will be explored. This will establish engineering feasibility for fullscale testing in Phase II for a compact borehole generator with neutron energy >4MeV without tritium. The technology has immediate application for radiochemical replacement. Other benefits are potential for sensor systems for gammaray inspection for explosives, carbon heating value measurement and oxygen ratio estimation. Security inspection and industrial clients in raw materials processing will greatly benefit from the highenergy neutron capability with lower cost and improved safety.