Physics basis for the advanced tokamak fusion power plant, ARIES-AT

The advanced tokamak is considered as the basis for a fusion power plant. The ARIES-AT design has an aspect ratio of A≡R/a=4.0, an elongation and triangularity of κ=2.20,δ=0.90 (evaluated at the separatrix surface), a toroidal beta of β=9.1% (normalized to the vacuum toroidal field at the plasma center), which corresponds to a normalized beta of β_N≡100×β/(I_P(MA)/a(m)B(T))=5.4. These beta values are chosen to be 10% below the ideal MHD stability limit. The bootstrap-current fraction is f_BS≡I_BS/I_P=0.91. This leads to a design with total plasma current I_P=12.8  MA, and toroidal field of 11.1 T (at the coil edge) and 5.8 T (at the plasma center). The major and minor radii are 5.2 and 1.3 m. The effects of H-mode edge gradients and the stability of this configuration to non-ideal modes is analyzed. The current drive system consists of ICRF/FW for on-axis current drive and a Lower Hybrid system for off-axis. Transport projections are presented using the drift-wave based GLF23 model. The approach to power and particle exhaust using both plasma core and scrape-off-layer radiation is presented.     

Plasma profile and shape optimization for the advanced tokamak power plant, ARIES-AT

An advanced tokamak plasma configuration is developed based on equilibrium, ideal MHD stability, bootstrap current analysis, vertical stability and control, and poloidal field coil analysis. The plasma boundaries used in the analysis are forced to coincide with the 99% flux surface from the free-boundary equilibrium. Using an accurate bootstrap current model and external current drive profiles from ray tracing calculations in combination with optimized pressure profiles, β_N values above 7.0 have been obtained. The minimum current drive requirement is found to lie at a lower β_N of 6.0. The external kink mode is stabilized by a tungsten shell located at 0.33 times the minor radius and a feedback system. Plasma shape optimization has led to an elongation of 2.2 and triangularity of 0.9 at the separatrix. Vertical stability could be achieved by a combination of tungsten shells located at 0.33 times the minor radius and feedback control coils located behind the shield. The poloidal field coils were optimized in location and current, providing a maximum coil current of 8.6 MA. These developments have led to a simultaneous reduction in the power plant major radius and toroidal field from those found in a previous study [S.C. Jardin, C.E. Kessel, C.G. Bathke, D.A. Ehst, T.K. Mau, F. Najmabadi, T.W. Petrie, the ARIES Team, Physics basis for a reversed shear tokamak power plant, Fusion Eng. Design 38 (1997) 27].     

STARFIRE,a commercial tokamak power plant design

STARFIRE is a design for a conceptual commercial tokamak electrical power plant based on the deuterium/tritium/lithium fuel cycle. In addition to the goal of being technologically credible, the design incorporates safety and environmental considerations. STARFIRE is considered to be the tenth in a series of commercial fusion power plants.STARFIRE has a 7-m major radius reactor producing 1200 MW of net electrical power from 4000 MW of thermal power, with an average neutron wall load of 3.6 MW/m². The aspect ratio is 3.6 and a D-shaped plasma with a height-to-width ratio of 1.6 and average toroidal beta of 0.067 is used. The maximum magnetic field is 11T. Availability goals have been set at 85% for the reactor and 75% for the complete plant including the reactor.The major features for STARFIRE include a steady-state operating mode based on a continuous rf lower-hybrid current drive and auxiliary heating, solid tritium breeder material, pressurized water cooling, limiter/vacuum for impurity control, most superconducting EF coils outside the TF superconducting coils, fully remote maintenance, and a low-activation shield.     

An advanced computational algorithm for systems analysis of tokamak power plants

A new computational algorithm for tokamak power plant system analysis is being developed for the ARIES project. The objective of this algorithm is to explore the most influential parameters in the physical, technological and economic trade space related to the developmental transition from experimental facilities to viable commercial power plants. This endeavor is being pursued as a new approach to tokamak systems studies, which examines an expansive, multi-dimensional trade space as opposed to traditional sensitivity analyses about a baseline design point. The new ARIES systems code consists of adaptable modules which are built from a custom-made software toolbox using object-oriented programming. The physics module captures the current tokamak physics knowledge database including modeling of the most-current proposed burning plasma experiment design (FIRE). The engineering model accurately reflects the intent and design detail of the power core elements including accurate and adjustable 3D tokamak geometry and complete modeling of all the power core and ancillary systems. Existing physics and engineering models reflect both near-term as well as advanced technology solutions that have higher performance potential. To fully assess the impact of the range of physics and engineering implementations, the plant cost accounts have been revised to reflect a more functional cost structure, supported by an updated set of costing algorithms for the direct, indirect, and financial cost accounts. All of these features have been validated against the existing ARIES-AT baseline case. The present results demonstrate visualization techniques that provide an insight into trade space assessment of attractive steady-state tokamaks for commercial use.     

Commercial objectives,technology transfer,and systems analysis for fusion power development

Fusion is an essentially inexhaustible source of energy that has the potential for economically attractive commercial applications with excellent safety and environmental characteristics. The primary focus for the fusion-energy development program is the generation of centralstation electricity. Fusion has the potential, however, for many other applications. The fact that a large fraction of the energy released in a DT fusion reaction is carried by high-energy neutrons suggests potentially unique applications. These include breeding of fissile fuels, production of hydrogen and other chemical products, transmutation or burning of various nuclear or chemical wastes, radiation processing of materials, production of radioisotopes, food preservation, medical diagnosis and medical treatment, and space power and space propulsion. In addition, fusion R&D will lead to new products and new markets.Each fusion application must meet certain standards of economic and safety and environmental attractiveness. For this reason, economics on the one hand, and safety and environment and licensing on the other hand, are the two primary criteria for setting long-range commercial fusion objectives. A major function of systems analysis is to evaluate the potential of fusion against these objectives and to help guide the fusion R&D program toward practical applications. The transfer of fusion technology and skills from the national laboratories and universities to industry is the key to achieving the long-range objective of commercial fusion applications.     

Pilot plant: An affordable step toward fusion power

Progress is reported on a study to define a pilot plant to demonstrate the production of high grade heat in a fusion power plant configuration at the lowest possible capital cost. We are considering several driven reactor tokamak designs with fusion power production levels in the 15–50 MWth range, using demountable copper coils. We conclude that it is acceptable for such facilities to be net consumers of electricity as a trade-off to achieve low capital cost, which we estimate to be in the $1 billion range. These designs are based on currently accepted physics models. Even lower cost designs may be possible, if we depart somewhat from the current physics database.     

The Direct Internal Recycling concept to simplify the fuel cycle of a fusion power plant

A new concept, the Direct Internal Recycling (DIR) concept, is proposed, which minimizes fuel cycle inventory by adding an additional short-cut between the pumped torus exhaust gas and the fuelling systems. The paper highlights quantitative modelling results derived from a simple fuel cycle spreadsheet which underline the potential benefits that can be achieved by implementation of the DIR concept into a fusion power plant.DIR requires a novel set-up of the torus exhaust pumping system, which replaces the batch-wise and cyclic operated cryogenic pumps by a continuous pumping solution and which offers at the same time an additional integral gas separation function. By that, hydrogen can be removed close to the divertor from all other gases and the main load to the fuel clean-up systems is a smaller, helium-rich gas stream. Candidate DIR relevant pump technology based on liquid metals (vapour diffusion and liquid ring pumps) and metal foils is discussed.     

非能动先进压水堆核电厂SGTR事故概率安全评价

蒸汽发生器传热管破裂(Steam Generator Tube Rupture,SGTR)事故是核电厂的重要事故之一,并具有其自身的特点。该事故的研究和评价对核电站安全具有较大意义。选取典型非能动先进压水堆核电厂AP1000的SGTR事故进行一级概率安全评价(Probabilistic Safety Assessment,PSA),采用事件树分析方法得到电厂事件发生后系统、设备和人员不同响应所产生的事故序列,然后建立相关系统的故障树模型进行可靠性分析。借助Risk Spectrum软件,计算SGTR事故导致AP1000核电厂的堆芯损伤频率(Core Damage Probability,CDF),并进行堆芯损伤的最小割集分析及重要度和敏感性分析。通过一系列分析得到导致堆芯损伤的重要基本事件,从而找到系统存在的薄弱环节。     

大型先进压水堆核电站堆芯装载方案设想

核电站堆芯装载方案是反应堆堆芯设计的重要基础,它首先必须满足核安全的要求,同时还要尽可能地提高经济性。通过分析国内、外百万千瓦级核电站的堆芯装载,对反应堆输出功率、燃料组件数、堆芯平均线功率密度进行比较,给出我国大型先进压水堆核电站示范工程反应堆堆芯装载方案的设想,为技术决策提供参考。     

The use and performance of graphite and metal ISSECs in tokamak fusion reactors

Carbon and the metallic elements molybdenum, niobium, vanadium and tungsten have been considered for use as an ISSEC (Internal Spectral Shifter and Energy Converter) in tokamak fusion reactors. All five materials have been shown to reduce the radiation damage in the 316 SS structural first wall and thus increase the first wall lifetime. On a per unit thickness basis, a tungsten ISSEC is most effective in this regard followed by Mo, Nb, V and carbon ISSECs in decreasing order. If the ISSEC is restricted to transfer its heat to the first structural wall by thermal radiation only, the maximum allowable thickness a carbon ISSEC can have is limited to 9.5 cm, Mo ISSEC to 7.5 cm, Nb to 8.5 cm, V to 4.5 cm and a W ISSEC to 6 cm for a 1 MW/m² neutronic and 4 W/cm² surface heat loading. If the ISSEC is cooled by radiation plus conduction, the maximum allowable thickness goes up to 13 cm for C, 10 cm for Mo, 8 cm for V and stays the same for Nb and W. The only ISSEC material to result in an overall reduction in total blanket radioactivity at shutdown is carbon while all of the metallic ISSECs increase the total activity. On the other hand, the long term activity (at 1000 years after shutdown) is increased for Mo, Nb and V ISSECs while it is reduced by C and W. The carbon and V ISSECs reduce the energy production per fusion while Nb and W increase it slightly and Mo results in a 15–17% energy production increase. On a relative cost basis, metallic ISSECs cost 30–55 times more than a carbon ISSEC when used at the maximum thicknesses given above. Among the four metals studied, Mo is considered to be the best material for use as an ISSEC. A definitive choice between a graphite and Mo ISSEC is difficult at this time as both materials have strong positive features; carbon being superior from radioactivity, afterheat, cost and fabricability standpoint, but molybdenum being more effective in reducing the radiation damage in the first structural wall and increasing the energy multiplication in the blanket.     

Design issues and implications for structural integrity of fusion power plant components

The criteria and implications for successful design, licensing and power plant operation are assessed, and imposed constraints and limitations are examined. The design of a reliable fusion power plant is dependent on the availability of licensed nuclear materials and the structural-thermal loading conditions during normal and abnormal events. Various conditions in a tokamak lead to structural damage and possible failure. Taking into consideration all the possible structural failure mechanisms, the most likely are combinations of fatigue and creep. Issues encountered in the fusion environment are the significant amount of irradiation creep, the large ratio of helium production to displacement damage, and the degradation of fatigue strength and ductility, effects which are even encountered at low temperatures. Design codes distinguish between failure criteria under steady and transient loads, and lay down rules for failure prediction under combined creep-fatigue conditions. Currently, there are no established fusion specific licensing processes or component design codes. Any limits imposed on designs or performance are taken from existing design codes developed by the fission industry. There is a need to initiate the process of defining and developing tools for the design and licensing of fusion components and facilities to ensure nuclear safety.     

Recent US activities on advanced He-cooled W-alloy divertor concepts for fusion power plants

Several advanced He-cooled W-alloy divertor concepts have been considered recently for power plant applications. They range in scale from a plate configuration with characteristic dimension of the order of 1 m, to the ARIES-CS T-tube configuration with characteristic dimension of the order of 10 cm, to the EU FZK finger concept with characteristic dimension of the order of 1.5 cm. The trend in moving to smaller-scale units is aimed at minimizing the thermal stress under a given heat load; however, this is done at the expense of increasing the number of units, with a corresponding impact on the reliability of the system. The possibility of optimizing the design by combining different configurations in an integrated design, based on the anticipated divertor heat flux profile, also has been proposed. Several heat transfer enhancement schemes have been considered in these designs, including slot jet, multi-hole jet, porous media and pin arrays. This paper summarizes recent US efforts in this area, including optimization and assessment of the different concepts under power plant conditions. Analytical and experimental studies of the concepts and cooling schemes are presented. Key issues are identified and discussed to help guide future R&D, including fabrication, joining, material behavior under the fusion environment and impact of design choice on reliability.     

Future of structural reliability methodology in nuclear power plant technology

In this paper presents the authors' personal view as to which areas of structural reliability in nuclear power plant design need most urgently to be advanced. Aspects of simulation modeling, design rules, codification and specification of reliability, system analysis, probabilistic structural dynamics, rare events and particularly the interaction of systems and structural reliability are discussed. As an example, some considerations of the interaction effects between the protective systems and the pressure vessel are stated. The paper concludes with recommendations for further research.     

The anode power supply for the ECRH system on the J-TEXT tokamak

The electron cyclotron resonance heating(ECRH) system with a 60 GHz/200 k W/0.5 s gyrotron donated by the Culham Science Center is being developed on the J-TEXT tokamak for plasma heating, current drive and MHD studies. Simultaneously, an anode power supply(APS) has been rebuilt and tested for the output power control of the gyrotron, of which the input voltage is derived from an 80 k V negative cathode power supply. The control strategy by controlling the grid voltage of the tetrode TH5186 is applied to obtain an accurate anode climbing voltage, of which the output voltage can be obtained from 0-30 k V with respect to the cathode power supply. The characteristics of the APS, including control, protection, modulation, and output waveform, were tested with a100 k V/60 A negative cathode power supply, a dummy load and the ECRH control system. The results indicate that the APS can meet the requirements of the ECRH system on J-TEXT.