0000000000628115
AUTHOR
L. Giancarli
Further improvements of the water-cooled Pb–17Li blanket
Abstract The water-cooled lithium–lead (WCLL) blanket is based on reduced-activation ferritic–martensitic steel as the structural material, the liquid alloy Pb–17Li as breeder and neutron multiplier, and water at typical PWR conditions as coolant. It was developed for DEMO specifications and shall be tested in ITER. In 1999, a reactor parameter optimization was performed in the EU which yielded improved specifications of what could be an attractive fusion power plant. Compared to DEMO, such a power reactor would be different in lay-out, size and performance, thus requiring to better exploit the potential of the WCLL blanket concept in conjunction with a water-cooled divertor. Several new ap…
On the use of tin–lithium alloys as breeder material for blankets of fusion power plants
Abstract Tin–lithium alloys have several attractive thermo-physical properties, in particular high thermal conductivity and heat capacity, that make them potentially interesting candidates for use in liquid metal blankets. This paper presents an evaluation of the advantages and drawbacks caused by the substitution of the currently employed alloy lead–lithium (Pb–17Li) by a suitable tin–lithium alloy: (i) for the European water-cooled Pb–17Li (WCLL) blanket concept with reduced activation ferritic–martensitic steel as the structural material; (ii) for the European self-cooled TAURO blanket with SiCf/SiC as the structural material. It was found that in none of these blankets Sn–Li alloys woul…
Water-cooled Pb–17Li test blanket module for ITER: Impact of the structural material grade on the neutronic responses
Abstract The Water-Cooled Lithium Lead (WCLL) DEMO blanket is one of the two EU lines to be further developed with the aim of manufacturing by 2010 a Test Blanket Module for ITER (TBM). In this paper results of a 3D-Monte Carlo neutronic analysis of the TBM design are reported. A fully 3D heterogeneous model of the WCLL–TBM has been inserted into an existing ITER model accounting for a proper D–T neutron source. The structural material assumed for the calculations was martensitic 9% Cr steel code named Z 10 CDV Nb 9-1. Results have been compared with those obtained using MANET. The main nuclear responses of the TBM have been determined, such as detailed power deposition density, material da…
Status of ITER TBM port plug conceptual design and analyses
The test blanket module port plug (TBM PP) consists of a TBM frame and two TBM-sets. However, at any time of the ITER operation, a TBM set can be replaced by a dummy TBM. The frame provides a standardized interface with the vacuum vessel (VV)/port structure and provides thermal isolation from the shield blanket. As one of the plasma-facing components, it shall withstand heat loads while at the same time provide adequate neutron shielding for the VV and magnet coils. The frame design shall provide a stable engineering solution to hold TBM-sets and also provide a mean for rapid remote handling replacement and refurbishment. This paper presents main design features of the conceptual design of …
Potential and limits of water-cooled Pb–17Li blankets and divertors for a fusion power plant
Abstract Blankets and divertors are key components of a fusion power plant. They have a large impact on the overall plant design, its performance and availability, and on the cost of electricity. The water-cooled Pb–17Li (WCLL) blanket uses reduced activation ferritic–martensitic steel as structural material. It was previously validated under numerous aspects such as TBR, mechanical and thermo-mechanical stability, thermal–hydraulics, MHD, safety and others. This was done assuming the specifications for a European DEMOnstration reactor which were fixed back in 1989. A WCLL blanket would best be combined with a water-cooled divertor so that a single coolant could be used for the entire react…
Design and manufacturing feasibility of ITER TBM Frame and Dummy TBMs
Abstract The operation and test of mock-ups of tritium breeding blankets relevant for a future commercial reactor is one of the goals of the ITER machine. To accomplish this goal, mock-ups of breeding blankets, called Test Blanket Modules (TBMs), are installed in three ITER equatorial ports. Each TBM and the associated shield form a TBM-set that is mechanically attached to a steel frame called TBM Frame. A Frame and two TBM-Sets form a TBM Port Plug (TBM PP). The ITER Organization is responsible for the design and manufacture of the TBM Frames and of the Dummy TBMs that could replace the TBM-sets in case they were not available. This paper describes the recent results of the design supporti…
Neutronic and photonic analysis of the single box water-cooled lithium lead blanket for a DEMO reactor
Abstract The water-cooled Pb–17Li demonstration plant (DEMO) breeding blanket line was selected in 1995 as one of the two EU lines to be further developed in the next decade. In this paper the results of a neutronic and photonic analysis of the `single box' concept is presented. A full three-dimensional model, including the whole assembly and many of the DEMO reactor components, has been developed, together with a three-dimensional neutron source. A tritium breeding ratio (TBR) value of 1.16, with no ports and a Li6 enrichment of 90%, has been obtained and a further analysis has been performed to determine Li6 enrichment that would still ensure tritium breeding self-sufficiency. Selected po…