FW and Blanket Technology Development Progress at SWIP

Abstract

Blanket, including its first wall (FW), is one of the key components in the fusion reactor, which works in the severe condition with the huge high energy neutron irradiation, high heat flux and electromagnetic load. Facing these technical challenges for the blanket and its FW, Southwestern Institute of Physics is engaging in the development of the blanket technology following the proposed China magnetic confinement fusion development strategy. This paper presents the design and R&D progress of the ITER FW and blanket, Chinese helium cooled ceramic breeder test blanket module (HCCB TBM) for ITER and HCCB tritium blanket for China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR). The design of the ITER enhanced heat flux FW has been updated to improve manufacturability and to reduce water leak risk. Key technologies have been qualified by high heat flux tests of small mock-ups and full-scale plasma-facing fingers. New assembly technologies are under development. Following the completion of full-scale prototype qualification, the ITER shielding blanket modules are under manufacturing for series production. The preliminary design of HCCB TBM for ITER is under implementation to improve the manufacturability and inspectability based on the fabrication study. Two prototypes of TBM submodule have been fabricated and tested to validate the feasibility of manufacture procedure, which are finally assembling into one semi-prototype of TBM. The preliminary design of HCCB tritium blanket for CFETR has been completed and the R&D has been started, especially for the special technologies different with the ITER blanket and TBM. Meanwhile, the progress of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel and function materials for blanket are also presented.