Comparative Maps of Safety Features for Fission and Fusion Reactors

Abstract

The differences between nuclear fission and fusion have been discussed widely in the literature. However, little has been done to investigate the key differences in safety designs and regulatory requirements between the nuclear reactor types. In this study, an innovative methodology was successfully developed to map nuclear safety features to the fundamental safety principles set out by the nuclear regulators. Three safety cases were assessed in the mapping study, a research fusion reactor (Joint European Torus), a research fission reactor (Tsing Hua Open-pool Reactor) and a commercial fission reactor (Hinkley Point C). The graphical representation allowed a comparative analysis of the safety features and fundamental principles which revealed differences between the hazard profiles of fission and fusion reactors and provided important insights for the creation of a similar map for a future commercial fusion device.