Current and Near-Term Applications of Fusion Plasmas as Neutron Sources

SHINE Technologies, LLC is a fusion technology company which focuses on commercialization of fusion plasmas as neutron sources. The company has developed business in the areas of neutron radiography and medical isotope production, and recently began offering the Fusion Linear Accelerator for Radiation Effects (FLARE) 14 MeV testing service. SHINE’s existing neutron sources are based on beam target fusion, but further increases in neutron output require different technology. A fusion neutron source used for the transmutation of nuclear waste, a fusion prototypic neutron source (FPNS), and a tritium breeding test module share many requirements. For instance, these applications require a high duty cycle and high availability. Several device configurations are assessed against these requirements. Notably, since these devices do not require a fusion energy gain factor Q>1, other considerations such as reliability, compatibility with a blanket, and economic factors are a priority. Furthermore, a focus is placed on devices which are feasible to develop in the near term.