Environmental aspects of tritium and active waste - A comparison of four inertial confinement fusion reactor concepts

Environmental impacts from tritium and active waste are examined and compared for four heavy-ion-driven inertial confinement fusion (IFC) reactor concept studies. The radiation exposure from tritium emissions during normal routine operation and for accidential release of 10% of the tritium inventory in the target fabrication is determined and compared with regulatory limits. In normal operation, two of the ICF reactor concepts are, independently of the tritium model applied, always below the regulatory limit. For the 10% tritium release from the target fabrication, only one ICF reactor concept is around the limit for the early off-site dose (5 rem). Active waste from structural material of the reactor chamber and the coolant-breeder qualifies either for the waste classes A to C defined by 10CFR61 or geological disposal by deep geological burial. Chambers with carbon-based structural material (SiC and C-C composites) qualify mainly for waste class A. Stainless steel as a structural material leads to active waste that is at least partly subject to geological storage and the disposal conditions depend strongly on the type of stainless steel. Coolant-breeder media are class C and mixed waste.