A System Approach to Fission-Fusion Symbiosis

Abstract

<p> Three symbiotic systems are considered. These include the possibility of coupling the tritium production in a fission reactor with the fertile conversion in a fusion blanket. Equations for the fuel dynamics, power output, efficiency and costs of a symbiotic, selfcontained power station are developed and evaluated for a specific, 1500 MWe fission reactor operating on a thorium cycle and some fusion parameters. It is concluded that a system using the tritium produced in a fission reactor has lower costs and increased power output when compared to an alternate system. </p>