| Abstract |
l. Background
The testing ofTritium Breeder Blanket concepts is one of the ITER missions and has been recognized as an essential milestone in the development of a future reactor ensuring tritium self-sufficiency, extraction of high grade heat and electricity production.
Europe is currently developing two reference breeder blankets concepts for DEMO reactor specifications that will be tested in ITER under the form of Test Blanket Modules (TBMs): the Helium-Cooled Lithium-Lead (HCLL) concept [1] which uses the eutectic Pb-15.7Li as both breeder and neutron multiplier, and the Helium-Cooled Pebble-Bed (HCPB) concept [2] which features lithiated ceramic pebbles (Li4 Si04 or LbTi03) as breeder and beryllium pebbles as neutron multiplier. Both concepts are using the pressurized Helium technology for heat extraction (8 MPa, inlet/outlet temperature 300/500°C) anda 9%CrWVTa Reduced Activation Ferritic Martensitic (RAFM) steel as structural material, the EUROFER.
lt is foreseen to test about 4 TBMs of each concept over the first 1O years of ITER operation. Each TBM will be specifically designed and instrumented to optimize the scope of achievable tests with respect to the different ITER phases. The four TBMs to be tested for each concept are:
• EM-TBM: "Electromagnetic"-TBM (will be installed in ITER from the first day of operation and tested before and during the H-H phase);
• NT-TBM: ''Neutronic"-TBM (plasma D-D and first period ofthe D-T low cycle phases);
• TT-TBM: "Thermo-mechanic & Tritium Control"-TBM (last period of the D-T low cycle and first period of the D-T high duty cycle phases);
• IN-TBM: "Integral"-TBM (last period ofthe high duty cycle D-T phase). The scope of achievable tests in each TBM has been described in [3].
Following a seven-years phase ofR&D performed under the framework ofthe European Development Agreement (EFDA), Fusion for Energy (F4E) is now implementing the European TBMs Project aimed at delivering two TBMs Systems to ITER under suitable schedule and acceptance standards, at building a consolidated test plan over the first 1O years ofiTER operation and a set of simulation tools that will be used to analyse the TBMs test results and form the basis of predictive tools for the design of future DEMO Breeder Blankets.
The scope of the TBMs Project covering the first 1O years of ITER operation is detailed in the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) given in Appendix A. Six main types of level-2 project deliverables are then defined:
• Hardware: HCLL TBM System (WBS-1.1), HCPB TBM System (WBS-1.3) and support equipments (WBS-1.5, -1.6)
• Performances evaluation/demonstration: HCLL TBM/TBS prototypical evaluation/demonstration (WBS-1.2), HCPB TBM/TBS prototypical
evaluation/demonstration (WBS-1.4)
performances performances
• DEMO-relevant validated technologies/materials/numerical tools: Materials development & characterization (WBS-1.7), Technologies development & qualification (WBS-1.8), Predictive tools development & validation (WBS-1.9), Support test facilities (WBS-1.13)
• Operation in ITER: Tests in lTER (WBS-1.1O)
• Management: Project and technical management (WBS-1.11)
• Data: TBM test data, Engineering data, etc (WBS-1.12)
On demand ofthe lTER Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC), 15 milestones, covering the period from today until the expected date ofTBM Systems delivery to lTER have been identified and reviewed (assuming, as guideline, the date ofthe first H-H plasma in July 2018). They are reported in Appendix B. The timely achievement of these milestones will allow the lOto monitor the state of the progress of each TBM systems and to check ifthe TBM delivery date will be kept or delayed.
The present Grant Agreement addresses and regroups most activities ofth: Work Program 2008 which are directly connected to the achievement of the 2009 milestones or which are on the critical path for achievement of later milestones. These activities are technically linked together and are, by consequence, regrouped in a single action.
2. Objectives
The general objective of the present Grant Agreement is to reach a Jevel of design, technology development and management that allows:
i) Validating most ofthe 2009 milestones identified by the lTER STAC:
• TBM Quality management system established - 06/2009
• TBMs system conceptual design delivered- 12/2009
• TBM Preliminary Safety Reports delivered- 12/2009
ii) Implementing the European TBMs project strategy and choices (sorne elements of the European project scope/objective are actually not addressed in lO milestones), in particular:
• Classify the TBM Systems with respect to French/European Regulation and confirm Codes &
Standards to be applied
• Give the same orientation to both TBMs concepts (vertical) and allocate both TBMs in a unique lTERPort
• Define a common generic steel box design for both HCLL and HCPB concepts
• lssue the design documents under a structure that allows later update with clear traceability
• Issue assessment documents stating the needed future analyses and technology development efforts
• Issue technical work plan proposal and assessment in specialized areas for confirming the future strategy and project management elements (cost/schedule/time/ri5.k)
• Enhanced coordination between technical tasks to ensure technic:al consistency at the level of the TBM systems and with respect to the ITER plant.
• Enhanced synergies between HCLL and HCPB design and technology development activities for cost/time rationalization.
On this basis, detailed objectives in each technical field have been derived. They are given in Section 3 for each task. |
