Progress in EU Breeding Blanket design and integration

Cismondi, F.; Boccaccini, L.V.; Aiello, G.; Aubert, Julien; Bachmann, Christian; Barrett, T.; Barucca, L.; Bubelis, E.; Ciattaglia, S.; Nevo, Alessandro Del; Diegele, E.; Gasparotto, M.; Gironimo, Giuseppe Di; Maio, P.A. Di; Hernández, Francisco A.; Federici, G.; Fernández-Berceruelo, Iván; Franke, Thomas; Froio, Antonio; Gliss, C.; Keep, J.; Loving, A.; Martelli, Emanuela; Maviglia, F.; Moscato, I.; Mozzillo, Rocco; Poitevin, Y.; Rapisarda, D.; Savoldi, Laura; Tarallo, Andrea; Utili, Marco; Vála, L.; Veres, G. I.; Zanino, Roberto

doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2018.04.009

Cited by 57 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…In this model, for the sake of simplicity, this flow area is lumped in a circular inlet on the OB side, see Figure 2. The suppression system is assumed to be connected to the plasma chamber via the Neutral Beam Injector openings, with one BD having an area of 1 m² [7], [15]. In this work, the worst case is assumed for the location of the break with respect to the BD, i.e.…”

Section: Scenario and Geometry Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

3D transient CFD simulation of an in-vessel Loss-Of-Coolant Accident in the EU DEMO fusion reactor

Zappatore

Froio

Spagnuolo³

et al. 2020

Nucl. Fusion

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Accidental transients in fusion reactors, such as the in-vessel Loss-of-Coolant Accident (LOCA) considered here, are generally analyzed using system-level codes. However, because of their lumped nature, such tools cannot predict local pressure and temperature values, which are instead of interest to assess the integrity of the Vacuum Vessel (VV) structures. It is then fundamental to prove that the system-level tools' predictions are at least conservative. In this work, we analyze the helium flow inside the VV following a LOCA in the helium-cooled blanket of the EU DEMO, using a 3D transient CFD model implemented in the commercial STAR-CCM+ code. In view of the large pressure ratio, a hypersonic flow regime (Ma > 5) develops, with the formation of shock fronts requiring a high time and space resolution. The model is applied to compute the evolution of the pressure distribution inside the VV and then to compare it with the information provided by the system-level GETTHEM model. The predictions by the two models of the intervention time of the VV pressure suppression system are compared, showing that the 0D model is conservative.

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Section: Scenario and Geometry Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

3D transient CFD simulation of an in-vessel Loss-Of-Coolant Accident in the EU DEMO fusion reactor

Zappatore

Froio

Spagnuolo³

et al. 2020

Nucl. Fusion

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“…In order to keep the computational cost reasonable, calculations are performed in a 11.25 • toroidal section of this model (making optimal use of the toroidal symmetry of the model). Four breeding blanket concepts are currently being developed in the EU and are considered for implementation in the European DEMO [6]: Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB), Helium Cooled Lithium Lead (HCLL), Water Cooled Lithium Lead (WCLL) and Dual Coolant Lithium Lead (DCLL). As the name suggest, the latter three use liquid Pb-Li as breeder/multiplier combination.…”

Section: Geometrical Model Of the European Demo Reactormentioning

confidence: 99%

Po-210 production in the European DEMO fusion reactor

et al. 2019

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The radionuclide inventory plays a central role in the safety of nuclear installations both during operation and their decommissioning. In nuclear fusion reactors using Pb-Li tritium breeding blankets, the undesired production of radiotoxic 210 Po is still an unresolved safety issue. In this work, neutron transport calculations and inventory calculations are combined to predict the 210 Po inventory in a DEMO fusion reactor using either a Helium Cooled Lithium Lead or a Water Cooled Lithium Lead breeding blanket. In order to guarantee that the environmental 210 Po release associated with an ex-vessel leak-of-PbLi accident remains below the no-evacuation limit, the 210 Po concentration in the Pb-Li should be kept below 1500 appt. It was found that no Pb-Li purification is required to keep the 210 Po concentration in DEMO below this limit. However, in case the Pb-Li makes direct contact with water, more volatile Po-containing (oxy-)hydroxides could form. If these species increase the 210 Po release rate by more than a factor two, safety measures will be required. Therefore, 210 Po generation in DEMO does not pose a hazard in case of a regular ex-vessel leak-of-PbLi accident, unless possibly in case the Pb-Li makes contact with water.

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“…The Water Cooled Lithium-Lead (WCLL) blanket is under development as a candidate for implementation in the DEMO fusion reactor [1]. In the WCLL, Lithium Lead (PbLi) is employed as breeder, pressurized water at 15.5 MPa as first wall (FW) and breding zone (BZ) coolant, and Eurofer steel as structural material.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MHD mixed convection flow in the WCLL: Heat transfer analysis and cooling system optimization

Tassone

Caruso

Giannetti

et al. 2019

Fusion Engineering and Design

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In the Water-Cooled Lithium Lead (WCLL) blanket, a critical problem faced by the design is to ensure that the breeding zone (BZ) is properly cooled to avoid the loss of mechanical properties in the structural materials. CFD simulations are performed using ANSYS CFX to assess the cooling system performances accounting for the magnetic field effect in the sub-channel closest to the first wall (FW). Here, intense buoyancy forces (Gr ≈ 10 10) interact with the pressure-driven flow (Re ≈ 10 3) in a MHD mixed convection regime. A constant magnetic field, parallel to the toroidal direction, is assumed with Ha = 8550. The walls bounding the channel and the water pipes are modeled as perfectly conducting. The magnetic field is found to dampen the velocity fluctuations triggered by the buoyancy forces and the flow is similar to a forced convection regime. The PbLi heat transfer coefficient is reduced to one-third of its ordinary hydrodynamic value and, consequently, hot-spots close to the FW are observed, where T Max ≈ 1000 K. Optimization strategies for the BZ cooling system layout are proposed and implemented in the CFD model, thus fulfilling the design criterion.

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Progress in EU Breeding Blanket design and integration

Cited by 57 publications

References 17 publications

3D transient CFD simulation of an in-vessel Loss-Of-Coolant Accident in the EU DEMO fusion reactor

3D transient CFD simulation of an in-vessel Loss-Of-Coolant Accident in the EU DEMO fusion reactor

Po-210 production in the European DEMO fusion reactor

MHD mixed convection flow in the WCLL: Heat transfer analysis and cooling system optimization

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