Booth Id:
PHYS028
Category:
Physics and Astronomy
Year:
2024
Finalist Names:
Luckett, Roman (School: Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science)
Abstract:
Currently, fusion reactors run on deuterium, which is very abundant, and tritium, which is almost
nonexistent on earth. Tritium’s scarcity poses one of the greatest barriers to efficient fusion
energy production. Lithium-tritium breeding is one proposed solution. Tritium can be produced
by exposing lithium to the high energy neutrons created by nuclear fusion. If reactors can
produce their own fuel, it could finally make fusion energy viable, producing almost limitless
amounts of energy for the world. Several lithium “blanket” designs are being tested now by
ITER, the leading organization in fusion energy. The blankets, which line the walls of the fusion
reactor, are composed of varying lithium compounds. Alongside being tritium producers, these
materials must be efficient neutron moderators. The more energy that can be captured, the
more tritium can be produced. This experiment attempts to select a prime candidate for this
material, comparing the moderation efficiency of lithium compounds proposed for use in fusion
reactors. Using Geant4, a nuclear physics simulation software developed by CERN, neutrons
are collided with the samples and the energy deposits are calculated. It was found that lithium
oxide performed as the best neutron moderator. Future studies should consider the geometry of
the blanket, as some materials may work better in liquid form, pebbles, or small bricks.