🚀 go-pugleaf

franl@centerline.com (Fran Litterio) writes:
>Isn't liquid lithium forseen as the medium used to absorbe the
>neutrons speeding away from the fusion reaction?

Yes.

>Over time the
>lithium becomes radioactive and needs to be replaced.  Being a liquid
>would actually make it harder to manage the storage of waste over many
>decades

*Liquid* lithium is a very hot molten metal.
*Cold* lithium is a fairly reactive *solid* metal.  Easy to store.  (Of course,
you'd probably want to react it to turn it into a non-reactive ceramic or glass
for even easier storage).

Note that lithium is used to absorb neutrons because that turns it into
helium and tritium (instant fuel).  The bulk lithium might well become
radioactive from picking up bits of induced-radioactive material from pipe
walls, etc.