Preliminary design of EU DEMO helium-cooled breeding blanket primary heat transfer system

Moscato, I.; Barucca, L.; Ciattaglia, S.; Maio, P.A. Di; Federici, G.

doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2018.05.058

Cited by 20 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…One of the most promising BB concepts, which is extensively studied in Europe is the so-called Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB). The HCPB consists of 6 Li enriched pebbles for tritium breeding, Be as neutron multiplier,…”

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First considerations on the Balance of Plant for a HELIAS fusion power plant

Warmer

Bubelis

2019

Fusion Engineering and Design

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A first conceptual design of the Balance of Plant for a HELIAS power plant equipped with a Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) Breeder Blanket (BB) is presented in this work. 5 inboard and 10 outboard cooling loops extract the heat from the blanket. Heat exchangers are used to transfer the thermal power from the helium to solar salt, which transports the heat out of the stellarator building and into an industrial 2-tank thermal energy storage system (IHTS/ESS). For electricity generation, the heat from the solar salt is transferred to the feedwater, which is boiled and superheated in the steam generator and then used in the turbine.In absence of a detailed design for the HCPB BB in stellarator geometry and the ex-vessel piping, a sensitivity study was carried out for the pressure drop of the cooling loops which showed that even small changes in the pressure drop have significant impact on the required pumping power.Finally, an exemplary runtime scenario is presented demonstrating the capability of a stellarator fusion power plant equipped with an IHTS/ESS to operate very flexibly (±20%) in an envisaged dynamic future energy system. Considering demand forecasts and the ESS, a stellarator fusion power plant (FPP) seems well equipped to cope with fluctuating grid demands within its technical limitations. If the conceptual idea for the HELIAS BoP as presented in this paper can be confirmed by more detailed technical studies, then a stellarator FPP could potentially contribute to grid stabilization in a future energy system while replacing fossil fuel power plants as a sustainable energy source.

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confidence: 99%

First considerations on the Balance of Plant for a HELIAS fusion power plant

Warmer

Bubelis

2019

Fusion Engineering and Design

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“…KDII/5-Considerations related to the characteristics of the BoP play an important role in the design and the licencing of the DEMO plant. Emphasis at this early design phase has been on a few important aspects of BoP, par ticularly the PHTS [31,32] and the relevant power conversion system (PCS) [33] because of their technical complexity and strong impact on design integration, maintenance and safety [34]. The pulsed operation foreseen for DEMO is particularly demanding for the plant electrical system (PES), BoP and PCS.…”

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confidence: 99%

Overview of the DEMO staged design approach in Europe

Federici¹,

Bachmann²,

et al. 2019

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This paper describes the status of the pre-conceptual design activities in Europe to advance the technical basis of the design of a DEMOnstration Fusion Power Plant (DEMO) to come in operation around the middle of this century with the main aims of demonstrating the production of few hundred MWs of net electricity, the feasibility of operation with a closedtritium fuel cycle, and maintenance systems capable of achieving adequate plant availability. This is expected to benefit as much as possible from the ITER experience, in terms of design, licensing, and construction. Emphasis is on an integrated design approach, based on system engineering, which provides a clear path for urgent R&D and addresses the main design integration issues by taking account critical systems interdependencies and inherent uncertainties of important design assumptions (physics and technology). A design readiness evaluation, together with a technology maturation and down selection strategy are planned through structured and transparent Gate Reviews. By embedding industry experience in the design from the beginning it will ensure that early attention is given to technology readiness and industrial feasibility, costs, maintenance, power conversion, nuclear safety and licensing aspects.

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“…The heat produced by the plasma fusion must be transferred to Power Conversion System (PCS) able to transform it into electrical energy with maximum possible efficiency and reliability: this is the main scope of the BoP. In the present status of the DEMO project, two alternative solutions are considered as basic fluid to cool down the BB: water and helium [8,13,14]. Consequently, two options are considered for the Primary Heat Transfer System (PHTS):…”

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confidence: 99%

“…In order to reduce the output power fluctuations, an intermediate buffer system could be inserted between the PHTS and the PCS. Therefore, two different approaches are under evaluation about the PHTS-PCS coupling [13,14] for both the two cooling options: The thermal efficiency in the direct cycle option is higher but the TG's life cycle is compromised because it is turned on only during the burn flat-top phase. The thermal energy is extracted from the BB by water or helium, then it is transferred to steam supplying the steam turbine.…”

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Electrical Loads and Power Systems for the DEMO Nuclear Fusion Project

Minucci

Panella

Ciattaglia³

et al. 2020

Energies

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EU-DEMO is a European project, having the ambitious goal to be the first demonstrative power plant based on nuclear fusion. The electrical power that is expected to be produced is in the order of 700–800 MW, to be delivered via a connection to the European High Voltage electrical grid. The initiation and control of fusion processes, besides the problems related to the nuclear physics, need very complex electrical systems. Moreover, also the conversion of the output power is not trivial, especially because of the inherent discontinuity in the EU-DEMO operations. The present article concerns preliminary studies for the feasibility and realization of the nuclear fusion power plant EU-DEMO, with a special focus on the power electrical systems. In particular, the first stage of the study deals with the survey and analysis of the electrical loads, starting from the steady-state loads. Their impact is so relevant that could jeopardy the efficiency and the convenience of the plant itself. Afterwards, the loads are inserted into a preliminary internal distribution grid, sizing the main electrical components to carry out the power flow analysis, which is based on simulation models implemented in the DIgSILENT PowerFactory software.

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Preliminary design of EU DEMO helium-cooled breeding blanket primary heat transfer system

Cited by 20 publications

References 14 publications

First considerations on the Balance of Plant for a HELIAS fusion power plant

First considerations on the Balance of Plant for a HELIAS fusion power plant

Overview of the DEMO staged design approach in Europe

Electrical Loads and Power Systems for the DEMO Nuclear Fusion Project

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