中国氦冷固态增殖剂实验包层模块材料研究进展

在未来核聚变反应堆中,为补充氚的消耗,需要在核聚变堆的包层中进行氚的在线增殖,以维持核聚变反应的持续进行。为验证这一关键技术,在国际热核聚变实验堆(ITER)上开展了ITER TBM计划(实验包层项目)。作为ITER计划成员方之一,中方以中国氦冷固态增殖剂实验包层模块(HCCB TBM)概念参与ITER TBM计划。HCCB TBM现今进入初步设计阶段,而材料的制备技术和性能数据是支撑其结构设计、安全分析和服役工况评估的基础。本文综述和分析了HCCB TBM结构材料低活化铁素体/马氏体钢(RAFM钢)与功能材料氚增殖剂和中子倍增剂的研究现状,并对这些材料下一步的研究方向进行了展望。     

超临界水冷固态实验包层中子学与热工水力特性研究

基于国际热核聚变实验堆(ITER)实验包层方案,提出了一个超临界水冷固态实验包层概念设计方案。设计采用Be作为中子倍增剂,Li4SiO4作为氚增殖剂,CLAM钢作为结构材料。包层第一壁采用多层盘道设计以提高第一壁出口温度,内部采用增殖剂与中子倍增剂分层布置以提高热沉积与氚增殖率。为验证包层设计的可行性,分析计算了三维包层氚增殖率与热沉积的分布,然后根据中子学计算得到的结果对超临界水冷固态实验包层进行了数值模拟研究。结果表明:包层功率密度分布较合理;氚增殖率满足运行中氚自持的要求;在冷却剂出口温度达到500℃条件下材料温度不超过限值。该设计方案能满足中子学设计与热工水力的要求。     

Li4SiO4陶瓷球的研制

产氚包层是聚变堆的关键系统，其设计与研发是我国参与ITER计划的重要研究领域。氦冷／固态氚增殖剂产氚包层采用锂陶瓷材料，目前，国际上最为关注的是具有较为优异和全面氚增殖特性的LinSiO4和Li2TiO3等。     

固态氚增殖剂研究进展

增殖包层作为实现可控核聚变燃料"自持"的关键,不仅能实现氚的增殖,而且起着能量转换的作用,氚增殖剂是其中最重要的功能材料。本文从材料体系的制备、性能以及改性总结了固态氚增殖剂的发展趋势。同时,基于当前的研究现状对固态氚增殖剂的发展进行了展望。     

中国氦冷固态实验包层模块In-box LOCA事故分析研究

中国氦冷固态实验包层模块(CN HCCB TBM)将在ITER 2号窗口进行测试,在测试期间,聚变中子和TBM内部材料发生核反应,产生氚和其他放射性物质。考虑到ITER的运行和工作人员与公众的安全,在进入ITER测试之前需要进行事故安全分析。本文应用MELOCR对HCCB TBM及其氦冷系统(HCS)进行建模,开展了TBM增殖区冷却板流道破口事故(In-box LOCA)安全研究,并对泄压罐体积,破口面积,隔离阀关闭延迟时间等关键参数进行敏感性分析。结果表明:在保守假设流道全破裂的工况下,box压力超过其压力限值4 MPa,而单根流道和5根流道破裂的工况下,box均未超过其压力限值;安装泄压罐和改变隔离阀关闭延迟时间能够有效的控制box压力。     

氚增殖剂球床组件堆内辐照物理热工计算分析

为验证在中国先进研究堆(CARR)内进行国际热核聚变实验堆(ITER)氚增殖包层模块(TBM)辐照实验的可行性和安全性,进行了氚增殖剂球床组件堆内辐照物理及热工计算分析。氚增殖剂包层模块主要是固态氚增殖剂陶瓷球床。本文采用Monte Carlo粒子输运模拟程序对氚增殖剂球床进行堆内建模,计算球床的中子注量率、能量沉积和产额,得到不同功率下球床的中子注量率、发热功率和产氚速率以及球床组件引入反应堆的反应性。根据物理计算得到的组件各部件发热情况建立热工计算一维模型,通过更改反应堆功率得到满足实验要求的工况并采用三维程序进行验证。物理与热工计算分析的结果表明,在反应堆运行功率为20 MW的工况下球床组件各部件的温度均不超过限值。     

ITER氦冷固态实验包层模块第一壁氢同位素双向输运数值分析

氦冷固态实验包层模块(HCCB-TBM)安装于国际热核聚变实验堆(ITER)中,用以验证HCCB包层概念的氚增殖能力与热移出能力。HCCB-TBM第一壁用于承受堆芯等离子体粒子轰击和包容内部功能材料。外侧等离子体驱动氘、氚粒子渗透与内侧氢分压驱动渗透的同时存在,形成了第一壁的双向氢同位素输运。此双向输运可能对第一壁外表面再循环系数、包层增殖氚的纯化产生重要影响。基于商业软件COMSOL建立第一壁双向氢同位素输运模型,研究第一壁的氢同位素的输运特征。仿真结果表明：第一壁中的冷却剂流道具有强的氢同位素移出能力,使得双向输运解耦合;在ITER等离子体脉冲周期中,放电过程中已扩散到材料内部的氚在等离子体关停时扩散回流到真空室侧,关停时的回流将降低向冷却剂流道的氚渗透损失。     

堆内辐照氚增殖剂球床有效热导率分析

氘-氚聚变反应堆中，固态氚增殖剂包层能不断为聚变反应提供氚核素，是实现聚变反应堆商用的关键技术之一。由锂陶瓷小球堆积形成的球床形式的固态氚增殖剂包层具有比表面积大、产氚效率高等优点，是我国重点发展的氚增殖剂包层形式。氚增殖剂球床须能支撑在堆内辐照时的高温环境，这就要求氚增殖剂球床有较好的导热特性。球床的有效热导率在球床设计和辐照过程中的安全分析十分重要，因此在中国先进研究堆（CARR）开展了氚增殖剂球床在堆内辐照环境下的有效热导率测量实验。根据MCNP计算得出的球床发热功率，结合实验测量的球床温度分布反推得到氚增殖剂球床的有效热导率，并与广泛应用于球床有效热导率计算的改进型ZBS模型计算结果以及堆外实验结果进行对比分析，理论值与实验值能较好吻合。     

基于蒙特卡罗方法的固态氚增殖剂聚变中子辐照损伤行为分析

实验包层模块(TBM)是聚变反应堆最重要的组件之一,作用是产氚和能量提取。锂陶瓷具有良好的化学稳定性、热机械性能、产氚性能以及可在更高温度下使用等特点,被认为是聚变堆包层最具吸引力的氚增殖剂材料。中国ITER-TBM设计方案采用了氦冷固态氚增殖剂(HCCB)TBM结构,其聚变环境下的辐照损伤行为可为中国HCCB TBM结构设计提供支持。针对固态氚增殖剂聚变中子辐照损伤问题,利用蒙特卡罗模拟,对比分析了Li_4SiO_4和Li_2TiO_3的中子辐照离位损伤和嬗变气体损伤。结果表明:在相同的服役时间下,Li_4SiO_4比Li_2TiO_3将产生更多的嬗变气体,且在高6 Li丰度情况下,其中子辐照损伤也更严重,会产生更高的损伤剂量和更大的损伤截面。但是,嬗变气体所造成的空位损伤Li_2TiO_3要比Li_4SiO_4严重;对两种陶瓷材料来讲,氦损伤效应均强于氚损伤效应。     

ITER氚增殖实验包层设计研究进展

国际热核实验反应堆(ITER)为人类开发聚变能提供重要的物理和工程技术实验平台,ITER氚增殖实验包层模块(TBM)技术是必须掌握的关键技术.参与ITER计划的成员国根据本国商用演示堆包层发展策略,分别提出了各自的实验包层概念,以便在ITER运行期间进行实验.本文对ITER-TBM目前已经开展和正在进行的主要设计研究工作进展进行总结,介绍了各方提出的设计方案、支撑设计的相关技术研究进展,以及合作实验窗口的分配现状.     

New progress on design and R&D for solid breeder test blanket module in China

ITER will be used to test tritium breeding module concepts, which will lead to the design of DEMO fusion reactor demonstrating tritium self-sufficiency and the extraction of high grade heat for electricity production. China plans to test the HCCB TBM modules during different operation phases. Related design and R&D activities for each TBM module with the auxiliary system are introduced.The helium-cooled ceramic breeder (HCCB) test blanket module (TBM) is the primary option of the Chinese TBM program. The preliminary conceptual design of CN HCCB TBM has been completed. A modified design to reduce the RAFM material mass to 1.3 ton has been carried out based on the ITER technical requirement. Basic characteristics and main design parameters of CN HCCB TBM are introduced briefly. The mock-up fabrication and component tests for Chinese test blanket module are being developed. Recent status of the components of CN HCCB TBM and fabrication technology development are also reported. The neutron multiplier Be pebbles, tritium breeder Li₄SiO₄ pebbles, and structure material CLF-1 of ton-class are being prepared in laboratory scale. The fabrication of pebble bed container and experiment of tritium breeder pebble bed will be started soon. The fabrication technology development is proceeding as the large-scale mock-up fabrication enters into the R&D stage and demonstration tests toward TBM testing on ITER test port are being done as scheduled.     

Design optimization of first wall and breeder unit module size for the Indian HCCB blanket module

The Indian test blanket module(TBM) program in ITER is one of the major steps in the Indian fusion reactor program for carrying out the RD activities in the critical areas like design of tritium breeding blankets relevant to future Indian fusion devices(ITER relevant and DEMO).The Indian Lead–Lithium Cooled Ceramic Breeder(LLCB) blanket concept is one of the Indian DEMO relevant TBM,to be tested in ITER as a part of the TBM program.Helium-Cooled Ceramic Breeder(HCCB) is an alternative blanket concept that consists of lithium titanate(Li_2TiO_3) as ceramic breeder(CB) material in the form of packed pebble beds and beryllium as the neutron multiplier.Specifically,attentions are given to the optimization of first wall coolant channel design and size of breeder unit module considering coolant pressure and thermal loads for the proposed Indian HCCB blanket based on ITER relevant TBM and loading conditions.These analyses will help proceeding further in designing blankets for loads relevant to the future fusion device.     

Comparative studies for two different orientations of pebble bed in an HCCB blanket

The Indian Test Blanket Module(TBM) program in ITER is one of the major steps in its fusion reactor program towards DEMO and the future fusion power reactor vision. Research and development(RD) is focused on two types of breeding blanket concepts: lead–lithium ceramic breeder(LLCB) and helium-cooled ceramic breeder(HCCB) blanket systems for the DEMO reactor. As part of the ITER-TBM program, the LLCB concept will be tested in one-half of ITER port no. 2, whose materials and technologies will be tested during ITER operation. The HCCB concept is a variant of the solid breeder blanket, which is presently part of our domestic RD program for DEMO relevant technology development. In the HCCB concept Li_2TiO_3 and beryllium are used as the tritium breeder and neutron multiplier, respectively, in the form of a packed bed having edge-on configuration with reduced activation ferritic martensitic steel as the structural material. In this paper two design schemes, mainly two different orientations of pebble beds, are discussed. In the current concept(case-1), the ceramic breeder beds are kept horizontal in the toroidal–radial direction. Due to gravity, the pebbles may settle down at the bottom and create a finite gap between the pebbles and the top cooling plate, which will affect the heat transfer between them. In the alternate design concept(case-2), the pebble bed is vertically(poloidal–radial) orientated where the side plates act as cooling plates instead of top and bottom plates. These two design variants are analyzed analytically and 2 D thermal-hydraulic simulation studies are carried out with ANSYS, using the heat loads obtained from neutronic calculations.Based on the analysis the performance is compared and details of the thermal and radiative heat transfer studies are also discussed in this paper.     

Requirements for helium cooled pebble bed blanket and R&D activities

This work aims to give an outline of the design requirements of the helium cooled pebble bed (HCPB) blanket and its associated R&D activities. In DEMO fusion reactor the plasma facing components have to fulfill several requirements dictated by safety and process sustainability criteria. In particular the blanket of a fusion reactor shall transfer the heat load coming from the plasma to the cooling system and also provide tritium breeding for the fuel cycle of the machine. KIT has been investigating and developed a helium-cooled blanket for more than three decades: the concept is based on the adoption of separated small lithium orthosilicate (tritium breeder) and beryllium (neutron multiplier) pebble beds, i.e. the HCPB blanket. One of the test blanket modules of ITER will be a HCPB type, aiming to demonstrate the soundness of the concept for the exploitation in future fusion power plants. A discussion is reported also on the development of the design criteria for the blanket to meet the requirements, such as tritium environmental release, also with reference to the TBM.The selection of materials and components to be used in a unique environment as the Tokamak of a fusion reactor requires dedicated several R&D activities. For instance, the performance of the coolant and the tritium self-sufficiency are key elements for the realization of the HCPB concept. Experimental campaigns have been conducted to select the materials to be used inside the solid breeder blanket and R&D activities have been carried out to support the design. The paper discusses also the program of future developments for the realization of the HCPB concept, also focusing to the specific campaigns necessary to qualify the TBM for its implementation in the ITER machine.     

Progress on design and R&D for helium-cooled ceramic breeder TBM in China

The helium-cooled ceramic breeder (HCCB) test blanket module (TBM) is the primary option of the Chinese TBM program. Current progress on the design and R&D for Chinese helium-cooled ceramic breeder TBM (CN HCCB TBM) in China is presented. The main updated design and related R&D of CN HCCB TBM are introduced briefly. The mock-up fabrication and component tests for Chinese test blanket module are being carried out. Recent status of the components and fabrication technology development is also reported. The neutron multiplier Be pebbles, tritium breeder Li₄SiO₄ pebbles, and structure material CFL-1 are being prepared in the laboratory scale. The fabrication of 1/3 sized mock-up and construction of a He test loop are being carried out. The key technology development is proceeding to the large scale mock-up fabrication and demonstration tests toward on ITER testing.     

Design and R&D progress of Korean HCCR TBM

Korea plans to test a Helium Cooled Ceramic Reflector (HCCR) Test Blanket Module (TBM) in ITER. The HCCR TBM adopts a four sub-module concept considering the fabricability and the transfer of irradiated TBM for post irradiation examination. Each sub-module has seven-layer breeding zone, including three neutron multiplier layers packed with beryllium pebbles, three lithium ceramic pebble bed packed tritium breeder layers, and a reflector layer packed with graphite pebbles. Based on this configuration, neutronic and electromagnetic calculations were performed and their results were applied for the conceptual design of HCCR TBM that considers manufacturing feasibility. Also, a design and safety analysis of HCCR Test Blanket System (TBS) was performed using integrated design tools modifying nuclear system codes for helium coolant and tritium behavior evaluation. The Advanced Reduced Activation Alloy (ARAA) is being developed as a structural material. A total of 73 candidate ARAA alloys were designed and their out-of-pile performance was evaluated. The graphite pebbles as the neutron reflector were fabricated by using mechanical machining and grounding method with the surface coated with SiC. The hydrogen permeation characteristics of structural materials were evaluated using the Hydrogen PERmeation (HYPER) facility. The recent design and R&D progress on these areas are addressed in this paper.     

Preliminary performance analysis and optimization based on 1D neutronics model for Indian DEMO HCCB blanket

India, under its breeding blanket R&D program for DEMO, is focusing on the development of two tritium breeding blanket concepts; namely the lead-lithium-cooled ceramic breeder and the helium-cooled ceramic breeder (HCCB). The study presented in this paper focuses on the neutronic design analysis and optimization from the tritium breeding perspective of the HCCB blanket. The Indian concept has an edge-on configuration and is one of the variants of the helium-cooled solid breeder blanket concepts proposed by several partner countries in ITER. The Indian HCCB blanket having lithium titanate (Li₂TiO₃) as the tritium breeder and beryllium (Be) as the neutron multiplier with reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steel structure aims at utilizing the low-energy neutrons at the rear part of the blanket. The aim of the optimization study is to minimize the radial blanket thickness while ensuring tritium self-sufficiency and provide data for further neutronic design and thermal-hydraulic layout of the HCCB blanket. It is found that inboard and outboard blanket thicknesses of 40 cm and 60 cm, respectively, can give a tritium breeding ratio (TBR) >1.3, with 60% ⁶Li enrichment, which is assumed to be sufficient to cover potential tritium losses and associated uncertainties. The results also demonstrated that the Be packing fraction (PF) has a more profound impact on the TBR as compared to 6Li enrichment and the PF of Li₂TiO₃.     

Status and progress of Indian LLCB test blanket systems for ITER

The lead–lithium ceramic breeder (LLCB) TBM and its auxiliary systems are being developed by India for testing in ITER machine. The LLCB TBM consists of lithium titanate as ceramic breeder (CB) material in the form of packed pebble beds. The FW structural material is ferritic martensitic steel cooled by high-pressure helium gas and lead–lithium eutectic (Pb–Li) flowing separately around the ceramic breeder pebble bed to extract the nuclear heat from the CB zones. Low-pressure helium is purged inside the CB zone for in situ extraction of bred tritium. Currently the LLCB blanket design optimization is under progress. The performance of tritium breeding and high-grade heat extraction is being evaluated by neutronic analysis and thermal–hydraulic calculations for different LLCB cooling configurations and geometrical design variants. The LLCB TBM auxiliary systems such as, helium cooling system (HCS), lead–lithium cooling system (LLCS), tritium extraction system (TES) process design are under progress. Safety analysis of the LLCB test blanket system (TBS) is under progress for the contribution to preliminary safety report of ITER-TBMs. This paper will present the status of the LLCB TBM design, process integration design (PID) of the auxiliary systems and preliminary safety analysis results.