Configuration and engineering design of the ARIES-RS tokamak power plant

Abstract

ARIES-RS is a conceptual design study which has examined the potential of an advanced tokamak-based power plant to compete with future energy sources and play a significant role in the future energy market. The design is a 1000 MWe, DT-burning fusion power plant based on the reversed-shear tokamak mode of plasma operation, and using moderately advanced engineering concepts such as lithium-cooled vanadium-alloy plasma-facing components. A steady-state reversed shear tokamak currently appears to offer the best combination of good economic performance and physics credibility for a tokamak-based power plant. The ARIES-RS engineering design process emphasized the attainment of the top-level mission requirements developed in the early part of the study in a collaborative effort between the ARIES Team and representatives from U.S. electric utilities and industry. Major efforts were devoted to develop a credible configuration that allows rapid removal of full sectors followed by disassembly in the hot cells during plant operation. This was adopted as the only practical means to meet availability goals. Use of an electrically insulating coating for the self-cooled blanket and divertor provides a wide design window and simplified design. Optimization of the shield, which is one of the larger cost items, significantly reduced the power core cost by using ferritic steel where the power density and radiation levels are low. An additional saving is made by radial segmentation of the blanket, such that large segments can be reused. The overall tokamak configuration is described here, together with each of the major fusion power core components: the first-wall, blanket and shield; divertor; heating, current drive and fueling systems; and magnet systems.