Irradiation facilities development at CEA for solid and liquid breeder blankets qualification programs

Abstract

Materials testing reactors of the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique (CEA) have been involved in fusion technology materials qualification since 1983. At the earliest stage, tritium release as well as radiation damage studies on lithium ceramics were carried out in SILOE and OSIRIS reactors, relevant to NET breeder blanket design. In these programs, classical irradiation rigs were implemented, coping with a large number of small size specimens; they are still considered for ongoing programs. General layout was presented at the ICFRM-3 conference. Collaborative efforts of European experts groups to define NET breeder requirements have led CEA Prototype and Research Reactors Division to propose suitable irradiation facilities derived from its experience in fission reactors technology. Examples of breeder modules foreseen programs are: • - Pressurized water loops tests for Pb-17Li liquid module qualification for NET featuring on-line tritium monitoring in OSIRIS. • - Helium loop tests, derived from earlier HTGR fuel studies for solid blanket (ceramic-beryllium) qualification in SILOE for NET. • - DEMO relevant end-of-life tests on solid blanket in the PHENIX fast breeder.