Description of breeding blanket test modules for TASKA-M

TASKA-M is a conceptual design of a low power, low cost test reactor based on a tandem mirror without thermal barriers utilizing physics which is presently in hand, or which should be available by 1985. The main purpose of the reactor is to study plasma engineering and provide a reasonable cost test bed for qualifying materials and investigating different blanket concepts. The central cell which is nominally 4.25 m long is divided into five zones: a liquid metal test module, a solid breeder test module, two material test modules and a central cell shield insert. This paper describes the structural, thermal hydraulics and neutronic aspects of the breeding test modules. Two liquid metal test blanket modules, one using Li₁₇Pb₈₃ and the other elemental Li are designed to fit into the same slot within the central cell and will, therefore, be tested consecutively. The solid breeder test module is designed to test all kinds of breeding materials rather than as a reactor prototypical module with a high breeding ratio. The main emphasis is on fast, easy insertion and withdrawal of the solid breeder material samples. A breeding ball blanket concept has been developed, where the Li-ceramic is contained in spherical stainless steel shells which are inserted into pressure tubes coiled around the plasma.