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Would this work? - Molten metal Fusion reactor wall

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  • 26-10-2011 8:08pm
    #1
    krd
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,455 ✭✭✭


    I was thinking over this problem. One of the design problems, in regard to a building a practical, commercial, fusion power station, is the constant neutron stream from the reaction, will cause the walls of the reactor to deteriorate, regardless of the material. If it's steel,the steel will become brittle. Any solid material will breakdown.

    So, I thought, the way around this, would be to use a material that wasn't solid.

    I've had an idea.

    If the reaction (whatever it is) is surrounded by a globe. The globe is a centrifuge - it will spin around the reaction. Inside the globe, molten lead, will be spun up, by the centrifuge, to cover the globe's inner surface.

    So, if you get the picture. The walls of the reactor will be molten lead.

    Would this?
    1) be enough to trap the neutrons
    2) Would it be more effective at trapping the X-rays and turning them into heat.
    3) Would the liquid be good for absorbing shock waves from the reaction.

    Then
    1) Would the lead actually vaporise, and become a problem in the reaction as a gas.
    2) Would whatever molten metal you use, just get sucked into the reaction by electro-mag forces.
    3) Could you use a gas instead of the molten metal in the centrifuge.


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