Enabling the simulation of helium transport in lithium for fusion devices

Nuclear fusion is a potential source of abundant, carbon-free energy. However, creating a nuclear fusion device with the ability to efficiently produce energy is a challenge to modern engineering. The tokamak is a device that has been designed to produce power through nuclear fusion. Finding the best materials for the construction of these fusion devices is difficult, as the plasma in these devices reaches temperatures that exceed the temperature of the core of the sun. Tungsten is a material being considered for the divertor component of the tokamak. However, tungsten will still receive surface damagefrom hydrogen and helium ions. Using flowing lithium to shield the tungsten divertor may reduce the surface damage to the solid divertor. Lithium also has a positive effect on the confinement of the plasma. To more fully understand the interactions of lithium with helium in fusion devices, molecular dynamics simulations may be performed. In order to perform molecular dynamics simulations, an interatomic potential is needed to characterize the force between lithium and helium (the product of the fusion reaction). We develop a lithium-helium interatomic potential which is then used to predict the diffusion coefficient of helium in lithium as well as simulate the depth distributions of helium in lithium. This interatomic potential can be further used to simulate more complex helium-lithium systems and even simulate lithium-helium-tungsten systems. The interactions of helium with lithium-coated divertors may then be studied in more detail.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemical Engineering (MU)

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Missouri--Columbia

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Heins, Mason Philroy

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hammond, Karl D.

Language dc:language.iso

eng, English

DOI

https://doi.org/10.32469/10355/106125

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/106125