WB5-4-INV

Monte Carlo simulations of radiation environment and damage in HTS fusion magnets

11:15-11:45 Dec.5

*D. Torsello1,2, F. Ledda1,2, S. Sparacio1,2, N. Di Eugenio1,2, M. Di Giacomo1, J. Haack1,3, D. Gambino4,5, Z. Hartwig6, E. Gallo7, A. Trotta7, F. Laviano1,2
Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy1
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Torino, Torino, Italy2
ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland3
Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology , Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden4
Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland5
MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Cambridge, MA, United States of America6
MAFE, Eni S.p.A., Venezia, Italy7
Abstract Body

Among the key enabling technologies of compact fusion reactors there are high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets. Despite the great improvements recently achieved, one of the main challenges that still need to be faced is the evaluation of the impact of radiation in HTS tapes [1-4].
In this talk, we present results from Monte Carlo simulations performed with the PHITS code [5] on 3D CAD-imported models of the fusion reactors [6] and of HTS cables [7].
Our approach yields the expected neutron and secondary particles spectra impinging on the HTS material at the working conditions, the map of the deposited power and information about the damage in terms of displacement per atom (dpa) and Primary Knock-on Atom (PKA) spectra.
The output of such simulations is then used as input for detailed thermal and electromagnetic analysis of the cable and tape behavior at the operation conditions via FEM models [8], and for the study of the distribution and morphology of defects using Molecular Dynamics [4].

References

[1] W. Iliffe, et al., Superconductor Science and Technology 34, 09LT01 (2021).
[2] A. Kuang, et al., Fusion Engineering and Design 137, 221 (2018)
[3] D. X. Fischer, et al., Superconductor Science and Technology 31, 044006 (2018)
[4] D. Torsello, et al., Superconductor Science and Technology  36 (2023) 014003
[5] T. Sato, et al., Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology 50, 913 (2013)
[6] F. Ledda, et al., Fusion Engineering and Design (2024)
[7] F. Ledda, et al., IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity (2024)
[8] S. Sparacio, et al., IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity (2024)

Acknowledgment

This work is partially supported by COST action CA19108, by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, grant n PGR01173, by Eni S.p.A.. DT carried it out within the Ministerial Decree 1062/2021, with funding from the FSE REACT-EU - PON Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020. DG acknowledges financial support from the Swedish Research Council (VR) through Grant No. 2023-00208.

Keywords: HTS tapes, HTS magnets, HTS radiation damage, Fusion technology