0000000000409622
AUTHOR
Pavel Pereslavtsev
Automated parametric neutronics analysis of the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed breeder blanket with Be 12 Ti
The Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) breeder blanket is being developed as part of the European Fusion Programme. Part of the programme is to investigate blanket designs relevant for future demonstration fusion power plants. This paper presents neutronics analyses of the HCPB with an alternative neutron multiplier, Be12Ti which is incorporated into the design, replacing the current Be multiplier. A parameter study was performed for a range of geometries to identify the optimal heights of the lithium ceramic and neutron multiplier pebble beds. Automated creation of CAD models followed by conversion to constructive solid geometry (CSG) and unstructured mesh (UM) geometry allows the models to b…
Overview of the HCPB Research Activities in EUROfusion
In the framework of the EUROfusion’s Power Plant Physics and Technology, the working package breeding blanket (BB) aims at investigating four different BB concepts for an EU demonstration fusion reactor (DEMO). One of these concepts is the helium-cooled pebble bed (HCPB) BB, which is based on the use of pebble beds of lithiated ternary compounds and Be or beryllides as tritium breeder and multiplier materials, respectively, EUROFER97 as structural steel and He as coolant. This paper aims at giving an overview of the EU HCPB BB Research and Development (R&D) being developed at KIT, in collaboration with Wigner-RCP, BUTE-INT, and CIEMAT. The paper gives an outline of the HCPB BB design evolut…
An enhanced, near-term HCPB design as driver blanket for the EU DEMO
The Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) breeding blanket is a candidate as driver blanket for the EU DEMO. The reference design of the HCPB is based on a cooling plate “sandwich” arrangement built in Multi-Module Segments. This architecture significantly improved the tritium breeding performance (TBR = 1.15) and the plant circulating power (≈130 MW) compared to the former ITER-like “beer-box”-like design (TBR<1.10, plant circulating power>200 MW). However, several issues remain with this design, in which (1) the still large power required per He circulator (beyond the state-of-the-art for these components) and (2) the large tritium inventory foreseen in Be have been identified as the most…
Advancements in the Helium-Cooled Pebble Bed Breeding Blanket for the EU DEMO: Holistic Design Approach and Lessons Learned
The helium-cooled pebble bed (HCPB) blanket is one of the two concepts proposed as a driver blanket for the European Union Demonstration Fusion Power Reactor (EU DEMO). In contrast to past conceptual design studies, in the frame of the current Power Plant Physics and Technology of the EUROfusion Consortium, the ongoing EU DEMO preconceptual design activities have adopted a holistic and integrated (i.e., systems engineering) design approach. As a consequence of this new approach, many interfaces and requirements have been identified, some of them driving the design of the blankets. This paper shows the advancements in the HCPB breeding blanket and describes the lessons learned after implemen…
Consolidated design of the HCPB Breeding Blanket for the pre-Conceptual Design Phase of the EU DEMO and harmonization with the ITER HCPB TBM program
Abstract From 2014 to 2020, the Pre-Conceptual Design phase (PCD) of the EU DEMO has taken place. The activities in the PCD phase differ from past exercises in their strong Systems Engineering methodology, as well as for the pragmatic approach in their technology choices. The Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) is one of the 2 candidates as driver blanket for the EU DEMO in the PCD phase. Several design iterations have been required during the PCD phase in order to adjust the design to the current demanding DEMO requirements, to the very challenging systems integration and to the need to keep near-term technologies. To this respect, the design has evolved to a so-called fuel-breeder pin archite…
Integrated design of breeding blanket and ancillary systems related to the use of helium or water as a coolant and impact on the overall plant design
Currently, for the EU DEMO, two Breeding Blankets (BBs) have been selected as potential candidates for the integration in the reactor. They are the Water Cooled Lithium Lead and the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed BB concepts. The two BB variants together with the associated ancillary systems drive the design of the overall plant. Therefore, a holistic investigation of integration issues derived by the BB and the installation of its ancillary systems has been performed. The issues related to the water activation due to the 16N and 17N isotopes and the impact on the primary heat transfer systems have been investigated providing guidelines and dedicated solution for the integration of safety devices…
Progress of the conceptual design of the European DEMO breeding blanket, tritium extraction and coolant purification systems
Abstract In the frame of the EUROfusion consortium activities the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) and the Water Cooled Lithium Lead (WCLL) concepts are being developed as possible candidates to become driver Breeding Blanket (BB) for the EU DEMO, which aims at the tritium self-sufficiency and net electricity production. The two BB design options encompass water or helium as coolants and solid ceramic with beryllium/beryllides or PbLi as tritium breeder and neutron multipliers. The BB segments have evolved towards a more stable conceptual design taking into account multiple feasibility aspects and requirements imposed by interfacing systems. Possible solutions to improve shielding capabiliti…