Thermo-hydraulic testing and integrity of ITER Test Blanket Module (TBM) First Wall mock-up in JAEA

Abstract

Fluid flow and heating tests on the full-scale Test Blanket Module (TBM) First Wall (FW) mock-up under the TBM-relevant operating condition were carried out in an ion beam irradiation system with a pressurized high temperature water loop in JAEA to verify the fabrication process and design of the TBM First Wall and demonstrate its heat removal capability. The TBM FW mock-up is made of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steel, F82H, and its parts such cooling channels and plates were assembled with Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) method. In the fluid flow test, the cooling water at room temperature is supplied to 15 parallel flow paths in the mock-up. The flow distribution in each path inside the First Wall mock-up is compared with a numerical simulation. This result shows that no severe cross-sectional deformation of the entire flow path in the mock-up takes place during the fabrication process. In the heating test, the mock-up was exposed to repetitive hydrogen ion beam irradiation with the maximum heat flux of 0.5 MW/m 2. No indication of joint defect of the HIP joint like a hot spot was observed during 80 irradiation cycles.