Christian Zeile

Progress on the Integration of ITER Diagnostics Equatorial Port Plugs in Europe

Diagnostics in ITER are supported by big structures called port plugs, the second main function of which is to ensure a sufficient shielding against neutrons and gammas. Regarding the integration of diagnostics in equatorial port plugs, a new approach is under study, which consists in installing the diagnostics in “drawers”. This paper describes the recent work which has been performed in Europe on the integration of diagnostics in drawers in the Equatorial Port Plug 1 (EPP1). First the methodology which has been followed to progress on the integration of the diagnostics in this port plug is described and the resulting arrangement of diagnostics is shown. Then a special attention is paid to the integration of the two main diagnostics of EPP1, namely the visible/infrared wide angle viewing system and the radial neutron camera. Finally the preliminary design of the drawers of EPP1, in particular the shielding modules around the diagnostics, is presented, and the preliminary results of the analyses performed to validate this design are provided.

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 evolution, state-of-the-art basic functionalities, requirements and performances, and the associated R&D activities in the areas of design, functional materials, manufacturing, and testing. In addition, attention is given also to the activities dedicated to the development of heat transfer augmentation techniques for the first wall and the corresponding testing. Due to their nature as design drivers, a brief overview in the R&D of key HCPB interfacing areas is given as well, namely, the tritium extraction and recovery system, the primary heat transfer and power conversion systems, and safety topics, as well as some specific activities regarding the integration of in-vessel systems through the BB. As concluding remarks, an outline of the standing challenges and future R&D plans is summarized.

A methodology for thermo-mechanical assessment of in-box LOCA events on fusion blankets and its application to EU DEMO HCPB breeding blanket

Abstract Within the framework of EUROfusion research activities, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is developing the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) breeding blanket (BB) for European demonstration fusion power plant (DEMO), with the support of BME and Wigner-RCP (Hungary) and CIEMAT (Spain). During the development of the BB concept in the past years, the in-box Loss Of Coolant Accident (LOCA) has been identified as a main design driver for BB. During this event, a leakage of pressurized coolant within the blanket box happens (in-box LOCA), pressurizing the blanket module and endangering its structural integrity. This accident has not been investigated in a detailed approach yet. In this paper, a more precise methodology is introduced taking into account the temperature evolution of the structure for assessing the structural integrity of BB under in-box LOCA and has been applied to the HCPB BB. The methodology and results are presented and critically discussed.