Background information of Party(EU)’s R&D on TBM and breeding blankets

1. Background information of Party(EU)’s R&D on TBM and breeding blankets Compiled and Presented by Alice Ying TBM Costing Kickoff Meeting INL August 10-12, 2005

2. EU R&D program on breeding blankets & TBM(HCPB and HCLL) • Fabrication Technologies* • Ceramic breeder and Be multiplier pebbles development • Pebble beds testing and modeling • Tritium control and extraction technologies • Tritium cycle modeling • PbLi characterization in blanket environment (compatibility with Eurofer, H solubility/diffusivity, etc.) • PbLi Magneto-HydroDynamics • Ancillary systems development (He cooling, PbLi loops) • Instrumentation development • TBM functional tests prior to ITER* • Structural Material (EUROFER) development

3. Basic R&D

4. TBM functional tests prior to ITER Topics that covered: • Sub-components testing • He manifold, FW heat transfer, BU, box structure, TRIEX, etc. • Functional tests on ¼ or 1/3 prototypical mock-ups • Existing He, PbLi test facilities • Development of future He, PbLi test facilities

5. TBM sub-components testing/qualification Test of a 1:1 HCLL Breeder Cooling Unit (DIADEMO)-Fabrication qualification-Engineering test

6. TBM functional tests on prototypical mock-ups • 6-cells functional mock-ups (breeder units not shown) • HCLL and HCPB separately • TBM scaling range: [1:4 –1:3] • Functional tests including thermo-mechanics, hydraulics (He and liquid metals), H isotope permeation & extraction, instrumentation, etc. • 1:1 TBM prototypical mock-up • “Highly recommended” • Fabrication qualification • He flow qualification • Thermo-mechanical test of box structure • Validation of tests procedures in ITER • Test not envisaged before 2009-2010

8. The HELOKA-HP/TBM high pressure Helium loop • EU has launched the construction of the He loop facility (HELOKA-HP/TBM) for testing full scale TBM prototypes under full thermal loading • HELOKA design parameters: Q =1.8 kg/s, P= 10 MPa, Tmax= 550oC • Construction: 2006-2008 • Operation: 2009

9. LiPb Loop for EBBTF HeFUS3 upgrade for EBBTF On-going fabrication of PbLi loop (up to 1:1 TBM scale for PbLi flow rate (Qmax =1.1 m3/h) for EBBTF) Upgrade of the HeFUS3 He loop up to Q = 1.35 kg/s (presently 0.35 kg/s), 530°C, 10.5 MPa The European Breeder Blanket Test Facility (EBBTF)

10. “When costing we should differentiate those of potential US’s contribution from that already being addressed by other parties”

11. Ferritic Steel Manufacturing R&D (EU) A. Fabrication of plate components with internal cooling channels (FW, Cooling Plates, Stiffening Grid, Covers) • Definition of reference plates fabrication processes (diffusion bonding) with suitable dimensional (channel cross section) and mechanical (mechanical properties at the joint) characteristics; heat treatment definition • Qualification of diffusion welded joints (un-irradiated and irradiated) • NDE definition and capability demonstration • Mock-ups testing under ITER and DEMO relevant conditions B. Box assembly by welding of plates components (including collector system) • Definition of welding techniques and parameters (TIG, laser, EB) • Modelling of the deformation • Definition of an assembly sequence (minimization of the structure deformation, feasibility, cost) • Definition of suitable Post Welding Heat Treatment • Qualification of welds (un-irradiated, irradiated) • NDE