Kimio Hayashi

Recent progress in solid breeder blanket development at JAEA

Abstract Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) plays a role of the principal institute in Japan for the design and the development of a solid breeder (WCSB) blanket and a helium cooled solid breeder (HCSB) blanket, in the ITER Test Blanket Modules (TBM) programt. The WCSB and HCSB modules consist of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel, F82H, as the structural material, Li2TiO3 as the tritium breeder material, beryllium or Be-Ti alloy as the neutron multiplier. One of the R&Ds for the WCSB TBM, the mockup of the first wall with embedded cooling channels was fabricated by applying HIP technique. Pebbles of Be12Ti, which is a candidate material for the advanced neutron multiplier, were produced by a small-scale rotating electrode method. Mechanical and chemical properties and irradiation effects have been studied for Be12T pebbles. Both oxidation and steam interaction were about 1/1000 as small as those of beryllium metal, which indicates a possibility to reduce a risk of a water or air ingress accident. The test schedule of TBMs is discussed according to the ITER operation phases.

Development of Solid Breeder Blanket at JAERI

Abstract Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) has been performing blanket development based on the long-term research program of fusion blankets in Japan, which was approved by the Fusion Council of Japan in 1999. The blanket development consists of out-pile R&D, In-pile R&D, TBM Neutronics and TPR Tests and Tritium Recovery System R&D. Based on the achievements of element technology development, the R&D program is now stepping to the engineering testing phase, in which scalable mockup tests will be performed for obtaining engineering data unique to the specific structure of the components, with the objective to define the fabrication specification of test blanket modules for ITER. This paper presents the major achievements of the element technology development of solid breeder blanket in JAERI.