On the impact of the heat transfer modelling approach on the prediction of EU-DEMO WCLL breeding blanket thermal performances
Abstract The Water-Cooled Lithium-Lead Breeding Blanket is a key component of a fusion power plant, in charge of ensure Tritium production, shield Vacuum Vessel and magnets and remove the heat power deposited by radiation and particles arising from plasma. The last function is fulfilled by First Wall and Breeding Zone independent cooling systems. Several layouts of BZ coolant system have been investigated in the last years to identify a configuration that might guarantee EUROFER temperature below the limit (550 °C) and good thermal-hydraulic performances (i.e. water outlet temperature of 328 °C). A research activity is conducted to study and compare different modelling approaches to simulat…
Recent progress in developing a feasible and integrated conceptual design of the WCLL BB in EUROfusion project
The water-cooled lithium-lead breeding blanket is in the pre-conceptual design phase. It is a candidate option for European DEMO nuclear fusion reactor. This breeding blanket concept relies on the liquid lithium-lead as breeder-multiplier, pressurized water as coolant and EUROFER as structural material. Current design is based on DEMO 2017 specifications. Two separate water systems are in charge of cooling the first wall and the breeding zone: thermo-dynamic cycle is 295–328 °C at 15.5 MPa. The breeder enters and exits from the breeding zone at 330 °C. Cornerstones of the design are the single module segment approach and the water manifold between the breeding blanket box and the back suppo…
El enfoque de las capacidades y los límites del discurso argumentativo. La teoría de la democracia deliberativa de Habermas frente al fenómeno de exclusión social
En el marco de la teoría de la democracia deliberativa de Jürgen Habermas son tres los elementos que deben interactuar para permitir el cumplimiento de libertades y derechos para todos los miembros de la sociedad: el sistema político, el derecho y, como fuente de donde se nutren estos, el espacio público (Öffent lic hkeit ) que se asienta sobre una sociedad civil entendida, a su vez, como un mundo de la vida racionalizado. En el presente trabajo se reconstruirá críticamente la idea habermasiana de democracia deliberativa a partir de la articulación de estos tres componentes , poniendo especial énfasis en el complejo rol sociointegrador que debe cumplir el último de ellos. A continuación de …
Advancements in DEMO WCLL breeding blanket design and integration
Summary The water-cooled lithium–lead breeding blanket is a candidate option for the European Demonstration Power Plant (DEMO) nuclear fusion reactor. This breeding blanket concept relies on the liquid lithium–lead as breeder–multiplier, pressurized water as coolant, and EUROFER as structural material. The current design is based on DEMO 2015 specifications and represents the follow-up of the design developed in 2015. The single-module-segment approach is employed. This is constituted by a basic geometry repeated along the poloidal direction. The power is removed by means of radial–toroidal (i.e., horizontal) water cooling tubes in the breeding zone. The lithium–lead flows in a radial–poloi…
WCLL breeding blanket design and integration for DEMO 2015: status and perspectives
Abstract Water-cooled lithium-lead breeding blanket is considered a candidate option for European DEMO nuclear fusion reactor. ENEA and the linked third parties have proposed and are developing a multi-module blanket segment concept based on DEMO 2015 specifications. The layout of the module is based on horizontal (i.e. radial-toroidal) water-cooling tubes in the breeding zone, and on lithium lead flowing in radial-poloidal direction. This design choice is driven by the rationale to have a modular design, where a basic geometry is repeated along the poloidal direction. The modules are connected with a back supporting structure, designed to withstand thermal and mechanical loads due to norma…
Advancements in DEMO WCLL breeding blanket design and integration
The water-cooled lithium-lead breeding blanket is a candidate option for the European Demonstration Power Plant (DEMO) nuclear fusion reactor. This breeding blanket concept relies on the liquid lithium-lead as breeder-multiplier, pressurized water as coolant, and EUROFER as structural material. The current design is based on DEMO 2015 specifications and represents the follow-up of the design developed in 2015. The single-module-segment approach is employed. This is constituted by a basic geometry repeated along the poloidal direction. The power is removed by means of radial-toroidal (i.e., horizontal) water cooling tubes in the breeding zone. The lithium-lead flows in a radial-poloidal dire…
Recent Progress in the WCLL Breeding Blanket Design for the DEMO Fusion Reactor
The water-cooled lithium-lead (PbLi) breeding blanket is one of the candidate systems considered for the implementation in the European Demonstration Power Plant (DEMO) nuclear fusion reactor. This concept employs PbLi liquid metal as tritium breeder and neutron multiplier, water pressurized at 15.5 MPa as the coolant, and EUROFER as the structural material. The current design is based on the single module segment approach and follows the requirements of the DEMO-2015 baseline design. The module is constituted by a basic toroidal-radial cell that is recursively repeated along the poloidal direction where the liquid metal flows along a radial-poloidal path. The heat generated by the fusion r…