0000000000448613
AUTHOR
Bela Kiss
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…
Status of the EU DEMO HCLL breeding blanket design development
International audience; In the framework of the European “HORIZON 2020” innovation and research programme, the EUROfusion Consortium develops a design of a fusion power demonstrator (DEMO). One of the key components in the fusion reactor is the Breeding Blanket (BB) surrounding the plasma, ensuring tritium self-sufficiency, heat removal for conversion into electricity, and neutron shielding. CEA-Saclay, with the support of Wigner-RCP and Centrum výzkumu Řež, is in charge of the development of one of the four BB concepts investigated in Europe for DEMO: the Helium Cooled Lithium Lead (HCLL) BB. The rationales of the HCLL are the use of Eurofer as structural material, eutectic liquid lithium-…
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…