Components & Hardware
Neutron Shield Block
Dense shielding that protects the magnets from neutron damage.
- Role
- Magnet protection
Shield blocks between the blanket and the magnets slow and absorb neutrons, protecting the superconductors' lifetime. Shielding is heaviest on the neutron-rich breeder.
Common questions
What does the neutron shield block protect?
It sits between the plasma and the magnets, slowing and capturing neutrons to protect the superconductors' lifetime. It is heaviest on the neutron-rich breeder, where space in the central column is scarce.
Is shielding a formality?
No — fitting adequate magnet shielding into a compact machine is a genuine neutronics constraint that trades directly against the size of the central column.