1. Overview of ITER TBM Program
B.G Hong
Chair, TBM Program Commitee
Chonbuk National University, Korea
The presenter wishes to thank L. M. Giancarli, IO-CT and the TBM Teams from CN, EU, IN, JA and KO for some of the pictures used in this presentation concerning the corresponding Test Blanket Systems.
5th A3 Foresight Workshop on Spherical Torus
Kunming, China, February 15-17, 2017

2. Outline of the presentation
Introduction
Test Blanket Module (TBM) Program
Main Features of the Test Blanket Modules
TBM Program Test Plan and Status of the TBM Program
Conclusions

3. 1. Introduction

4. Fusion Reaction D-T reaction is the most probable reaction
D + T → n (14.06 MeV) + α (3.52 MeV)
Neutrons carry the energy that will produce the electric power and the tritium in the breeding blanket
Neutrons deposit heat in interior zone and
extreme temperatures are possible in principle
Neutrons cause some structural materials to become radioactive
Tritium must be generated inside the fusion system to have a sustainable fuel cycle
Decay half-life is 12.3 years
Tritium for 1,000 MWe fusion reactor: ~ 50 kg/y, ITER ~ 3 kg/y
Current tritium inventory: ~ 20 kg, recovery rate ~ (2+a) kg/y
Breeding through neutron interactions with lithium
Lithium, in some form, must be used

5. Fusion Reactor (Tokamak type)
ITER
Nuclear Reaction
Coolant
Blanket
Plasma: D+T→4He+n+17.6 MeV   
Core Plasma +
V V
Neutrons
Blanket: 6Li+n→4He+3H MeV  
7Li+n→4He+3H+n‘ MeV
9Be+n→8Be+2n -2.5 MeV       
Heat
Tritium
Shield FW
TFC
Coolant
Tritium

6. ITER & DEMO Physics Support Activities
Path to Reactor
Fusion Engineering R&D
Structural Material
IFMIF
Irradiation
Blanket
Material
Tritium
Plasma facing component …
Test Blanket Module
(TBM)
DEMO/Reactor
Fusion Plasma R&D
ITER
JET
EAST
KSTAR
JT-60SA …
ITER & DEMO Physics Support Activities

7. ITER ITER : International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor
Total fusion power MW (700MW)
Q = fusion power/aux. heating power ≥ 10
Average neutron wall loading MW/m2
(0.8 MW/m2)
Plasma inductive burn time ≥ 400 s
Plasma major radius m
Plasma minor radius m
Plasma current (Ip) 15 MA (17 MA)
Vertical elongation
Triangularity
Toroidal field T
Plasma volume m3
Plasma surface m2
Installed aux. heating power 73 MW (100 MW)
ITER : International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor
“ The Way” in Latin : Essential step towards energy production

8. Mission of ITER
[Physics] To address the science of self-heated plasmas in reactor-relevant regimes and high N (plasma pressure)
Self-heated plasmas: Q ~ 5 (long pulse) to 10 (pulsed)
Full non-inductive current drive sustained in near steady state conditions (with high bootstrap current)
[Engineering] Integration of steady-state reactor-relevant fusion technology
Large-scale high-field superconducting magnets
Long-pulse high-heat-load plasma-facing components
Plasma control systems (heating & current drive, fueling, ...)
[Fusion Reactor Tech.] Testing of blanket modules
“ITER should test tritium breeding module concepts that would lead in a future reactor to tritium self-sufficiency, the extraction of high grade heat and electricity production.”

9. Fusion Reactor Technology is a key to Fusion Energy
Magnetic field
First wall 
Fusion Core +
neutron
First wall
Fusion plasma see only first wall and magnetic field
Plasma physics
Engineering: vacuum vessel, SC magnet, heating etc.
∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 9

10. Fusion Reactor Technology is a key to Fusion Energy
Shield
Blanket
neutron
Magnetic field  
Coil
Blanket see only fusion neutron and magnetic field
Energy conversion
Tritium technology
Material: High temp. low activation
Safety
∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 10

11. Tritium Breeding Blanket (1/2)
Tritium breeding blanket is an essential component of a fusion reactor
• Exhausts the heat from neutron & gamma energy
Blanket temperature must be high for large thermal conversion efficiency
• Generates the fuel (T)
Fusion reactor needs to produce by itself all the tritium that is needed as fuel for the D-T plasma (Tritium-breeding self-sufficiency).
• Contributes to shielding
It has the highest activation and after heat.
Blanket
V V
Neutrons +
Heat
Tritium FW
Shield
TFC

12. Tritium Breeding Blanket (2/2)
Tritium breeding materials
Liquid metals (Li, PbLi, SnLi)
Molten salts (Flibe, FLiNaBe)
Solid Breeders (Li2O, Li4SiO4, Li2TiO3 and Li2ZrO3)
Neutron Multiplier (for most blanket concepts)
Beryllium (Be, Be12Ti)
Lead (in LiPb)
Coolants
High pressure Helium, Water, Breeding materials
Structural Materials
Ferritic Steel, Vanadium Alloys, SiC/SiC Composites
Must be low activated and compatible with high temperature coolant
Based on safety, waste disposal, and performance
Functional Materials: MHD insulators, thermal insulators, tritium permeation barriers, Neutron reflectors etc.
Blanket Concept
Many concepts possible by combinations of breeder materials, structural materials and coolants.
9Be+n→8Be+2n -2.5 MeV

13. 2. TBM Program

14. Testing of Tritium Breeding Blankets in ITER
The Tritium Breeding Blankets (TBBs) are complex components, needed in the DEMO/fusion reactor, where they will be submitted to severe working conditions (TBBs are not present in ITER).
ITER is a unique opportunity to test TBB mock-ups in DEMO-relevant conditions : Test Blanket Modules (TBMs)
ITER Members have their own TBB concepts.
On the way to DEMO, the test of TBMs in ITER is essential to answering two critical questions about fusion as an energy source:
Can tritium be produced in the blanket and extracted from the blanket at a rate equal to tritium consumption in the plasma ?
Can heat be extracted from the blanket at temperatures high enough for efficient electricity generation?

15. Overview of the TBM Program (1/2)
All the activities performed by the Central Team of the ITER Organization (IO-CT) & by the ITER Members (IMs) Domestic Agencies (DAs) and related to this mission form the “TBM Program”.
The “TBM Program” foresees the operation of 6 TBMs, located in 3 equatorial ports (2 TBMs / port), with their own ancillary systems (e.g., coolant, Tritium extraction, I & C, maintenance) to form 6 Test Blanket Systems (TBSs).

16. Overview of the TBM Program (2/2)
(TL = TBM Leader)
HCLL : Helium-Cooled Lithium Lead, HCPB : He-Cooled Pebble Beds
WCCB : Water-Cooled Ceramic Breeder, HCCR : Helium-Cooled Ceramic Reflector
HCCB : He-Cooled Ceramic Breeder, LLCB : Lithium-Lead Ceramic Breeder
 RF and US also support the TBM Program by providing R&D results
Starting from the selected DEMO TBB, the TBMs port allocation is:
Port Nb
Fist Concept
Second Concept 16
HCLL (TL : EU)
HCPB (TL : EU) 18
WCCB (TL : JA)
HCCR (TL : KO) 2
HCCB (TL : CN)
LLCB (TL : IN)
TBMs can correctly represent DEMO-TBBs only if they use the same structural material  All six DEMO TBB use a Reduced-Activation Ferritic/Martensitic steel
To note that these type of steels:
Are developed to avoid rad-waste with lifetime longer than 100 years
 important for future of D-T fusion power !!!
Are ferromagnetic  they perturb the magnetic field in the ITER plasma. Experiments in DIII-D have been performed in 2009, 2011 and 2014 (obtained promising results).

17. Management of the TBM Program
Official Governance
Performed by the ITER Council TBM Program Committee (TBM-PC)
The TBM-PC meets twice a year (as STAC and MAC) in order to report to each ITER Council meeting
Main IO-CT responsibilities
Ensure interfaces, integration, operate the six TBSs in ITER;
Define the TBS acceptance criteria and perform corresponding tests;
TBS commissioning, licensing, replacement, maintenance;
Design and procure the TBM port frames and dummy TBMs, the TBS connection pipes, and the common maintenance tools and equipment to be used in TBM Port Cells and in Hot Cell
TBM Port Cell integration;
Monitor the activities of the ITER Members on the TBS-related activities.
Main ITER Members (IM) TBM Leader responsibilities
Specify and perform the TBS-related R&D;
Design the TBSs, procure and deliver them on the ITER site;
Define the contents, the objectives, the planning and the interpretation of the TBS Testing;
Ship the irradiated TBMs from the ITER site to some appropriate IM facilities and performing any required Post-Irradiation Examinations.
The 6 TBS Procurement performed via TBM Arrangements signed between the IO-CT and the involved IM

18. Comparison ITER/DEMO Operating Conditions
Parameters
(TBM relevant)
ITER H phase
Design (Typical) Values
ITER DT phase
DEMO
Typical Values
Comparison
ITER versus DEMO
Surface heat flux on First Wall (MW/m2)
0.3 (0.15)
0.5 (0.27)
0.5
Lower but relevant
Neutron wall load (MW/m2) -
0.78 (0.78)
2.5
Much lower but relevant using engineering scaling
Pulse length (sec)
Up to 400
400 /up to 3000
~ cont.
In some cases need significant modeling
Duty cycle
0.22
> 0.22
Av. neutron fluence on First Wall (MWa/m2)
0.1 (first 10 y)
up to 0.3
7.5
Too low, need of tests in other appropriate facilities
 Except for the long-term neutron irradiation effects, the Breeding Blanket performance and behaviour can be validated in ITER by operating the TBM Systems provided the same TBMs materials and technologies are used in DEMO
 The need of “Engineering scaling” requires the testing different TBM versions during the different ITER operation phase

19. 3. Main Features of 6 Test Blanket Modules

20. ITER Equatorial Port # 16 – TBM-1 : HCLL
He-Cooled Lithium-Lead (HCLL) TBMs
► Structures: Eurofer Steel
► Multiplier / Breeder: Pb-16Li (6Li 90%)
► Coolant: Helium at 8 MPa, 300/500°C
► T steel: 350°C / 550°C
► Pb-16Li velocity < 1 mm/s, Pb-16Li temperature: 350°C / 550°C
► He-cooled Eurofer steel box, He-cooled stiffeners & cooling plates

21. ITER Equatorial Port # 16 – TBM-2 : HCPB
Helium-Cooled Pebble-Bed (HCPB) TBMs
► Structures: Eurofer Steel ► Multiplier: Be
► Breeder: Li4SiO4 or Li2TiO3 pebbles (6Li 90%)
► Coolant: He (8 Mpa, 300/500°C) ► Purge gas: He (0.4 MPa)
► T steel: 350°C/550°C
► Be pebble beds, T< 600°C ► T ceramic < 900°C
► He-cooled Eurofer steel box, He-Cooled stiffeners and cooling plates

22. ITER Equatorial Port # 18 – TBM-3 : WCCB
Water-Cooled Ceramic Breeder TBM
► Structures: F82H Steel
► Multiplier: Be pebbles
► Breeder: Li2TiO3 (6Li 30%)
► Coolant: H2O 15.5 MPa, 280/325°C
► He-cooled F82H steel box, 2 sub-modules
► Temperature steel: 300°C/550°C
► Be pebble beds, T< 600°C ► Li2TiO3 ,T < 900°C
► It features vertical cooling tube bundles and Be & Li2TiO3 vertical pebbles beds

23. ITER Equatorial Port # 18 – TBM-4 : HCCR
Helium-Cooled Ceramic Reflector TBM
► Structures: KO-RAFM Steel (ARAA) ► Multiplier : Be-pebbles
► Breeder: Li4SiO4 or Li2TiO3 pebbles (6Li 30-60%)
► Reflector: Graphite pebbles
► Coolant: He at 8 MPa, 300/500°C
► Purge gas: He at 0.1 MPa
Four sub-modules concept
► He-cooled RAFM steel box, HC stiffeners
► Parallel columns of cooling plates, of Be and of Li4SiO4 pebbles beds and of Graphite pebbles
► Temperature steel: 350°C/550°C ► Be pebble, T< 650°C
► Ceramic pebble beds, T< 920°C

24. ITER Equatorial Port # 2 – TBM-5 : HCCB
Helium-Cooled Ceramic Breeder TBMs
► Structures: RAFM Steel ► Multiplier: Be
► Breeder: Li4SiO4 (6Li 80%)
► Coolant: He (8 MPa, 300/500°C) ► Purge gas: He
► He-cooled RAFM steel boxes, 4 sub-modules, T steel: 350°C/550°C
► Internal cooling plates and rib, segregating Be and Li4SiO4 pebbles beds
► Be pebble beds, T< 600°C, Li4SiO4 pebble beds, T< 900°C

25. ITER Equatorial Port # 2 – TBM-6 : LLCB
Lithium-Lead Ceramic Breeder TBMs
► Structures: RAFM Steel ► Multiplier: Pb-16Li
► Breeders: Pb-16Li (6Li 90%) & Li2TiO3 pebbles (6Li 30-60%)
► Coolants: He (8 MPa, 350/480°C) & Pb-16Li (350/480°C)
► Purge gas: He at 0.1 MPa
Exploded view
Scheme of the Pb-16Li flow

26. View of a TBM Port Plug and a TBM Port Cell
Equatorial TBM Port Plug
Port Interspace
Bio-shield Plug
Port Cell Area
behind Bio-shield
Steel Frame
~ 20-cm thick
TBM
TBM Shield
TBM-Set
Opening for
each of the
2 TBMs
~1.7 x 0.5 m2
Ancillary Systems:
6 independent Cooling Systems (CSs)
6 independent Tritium Extraction Systems (TESs)
6 independent Instrumentation & Control Systems

27. 4. TBM Program Test Plan and Status of the TBM Program

28. TBS pre-assembly operations Early TBS installation
TBM Schedule (draft) based on staged approach
First Plasma
Full DT
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031
2032
2033
2034
2035
2036 * *
6 m
18 m
21 m
Magnet/Engineering Commissioning
Pre-Fusion
Power
Operation 1
Pre-Fusion
Power
Operation 2
Fusion Power Operation
Integrated
Commissioning
24 m
15 m
12 m
Assembly II
Assembly III
Assembly IV
6 m
9 m
9 m
Integrated
Commissioning II
Integrated
Commissioning III
Integrated
Commissioning IV
Jun
Jun
TBS pre-assembly operations
EM-TBM
TN-TBM
Early TBS installation
TBS installation

29. Adopted Strategy for the TBM Program Testing Plan
Operation of the TBS must not jeopardize ITER performance, reliability / availability and safety  the TBM testing plan has to be adapted to the ITER operation plan
Up to 4 design versions per each TBM will be tested in order to take into account the various ITER operation conditions
Typical TBS testing sequence:
TBS learning/validation phase during the non-nuclear phase (H, H/He)
ElectroMagnetic version (EM-TBM)
Verify/qualify the TBSs operation in ITER operating environment.
Demonstrate the coolant capability and TBM resistance to ITER disruptions
Acquire essential data to be used for the nuclear licensing process
Verify/confirm that TBMs do not jeopardize the quality of plasma confinement
TBS data acquisition phase during the ITER nuclear phase (D, D-T)
Thermal/Neutronic version (TN-TBM), Neutronic/Tritium & Thermo-Mechanic version (NT/TM-TBM), INTegral TBM (INT-TBM)
Validation of the prediction with existing modelling codes and nuclear data
Assessment of the TBMs thermo-mechanical behaviour at relevant temp.
Demonstration of the tritium management
Breeding Blanket performance for an extended period of time
Post-Irradiation Examinations (PIEs) for material/process data

30. Main TBM Program milestones in the Design phaseNo
Milestone title
Status 1
Small/medium size TBM mock-ups fabrication addressing critical components manufacturing
On-going 2
Preparation of material data base for DEMO-relevant structural material including irradiation (~1 dpa) (for design codes & standards) 3
Conceptual Design for TBSs (IMs)
~achieved 4
Conceptual Design for Frame/Dummy TBMs, maintenance tools and equipment, TBS connection pipes (IO-CT) 5
Preliminary Design for TBSs, Frame/Dummy TBMs, maintenance tools and equipment
2017/18 6
Fabrication & Testing of large-size mock-ups (mainly TBMs)
2025 7
Demonstration of RH operations (mainly in TBM Port Cells) 8
Final Design for the six Test Blanket Systems, for Frame/Dummy TBMs, and for maintenance tools and equipment

31. Conclusions
The ITER TBM Program is the answer to the ITER mission of testing tritium breeding module that would lead in a fusion reactor to the tritium self-sufficiency, the extraction of high grade heat and the electricity production.
The design of the six Test Blanket Systems and of the associated supporting components (e.g., frames, maintenance tools/equipment) has now completed the Conceptual Design phase.
The installation of the TBS is expected to start early in 2030 and the TBM (EM-TBM) will be tested from the 3rd plasma campaign.

32. Thank you for your attention

33. Fusion Technology Development
Present
ITER
DEMO
Reactor
Physics
Advanced Tokamak,
Bootstrap current, ITB …
Pth ~ 10 MW
Advanced Tokamak
D-T burning plasma
Pth ~ 500 MW
Improved
“Limited”
Pth < 2,000 MW
“Moderate”
Pth > 2,000 MW
Pulse length
~ 10 s
~ 500 s
Steady-state
Plasma Facing Component
- 20 MW/m2, 10 s
10-20 MW/m2
Blanket
ITER Test Blanket Module R&D
TBM testing
Tout ~ 500°C
Li-Ceramic/He/FS,
PbLi/He/FS, Li/V
Tout ~ 700°C
PbLi/SiC
Tout ~ 900°C
Material
R&D on FS, V-alloy, SiC/SiC etc.
Industrially available
Ferritic Steel
V-alloy
- 70 dpa
SiC/SiC ?
- 150 dpa
Material Test
Fission reactor, SNS
IFMIF
CTF
Magnet
Low Tc
High Tc

34. Example: KO HCCR TBM Neutrons
Alternating layers of breeder, multiplier, graphite reflector
Enriched Li-6 (40%) is used
Li2SiO4 pebbles (single-sized)
Li2TiO3 pebbles (optional)
97% TD pebbles & 62% packing factor
Part of Be is replaced by graphite pebbles
Be pebbles (double-sized) : 95% TD pebbles & 80 packing factor
Graphite pebbles : cylinder or cubic, 80% TD pebbles & 85% packing factor
Coolant: He at 8 MPa, 300/500°C
Structural material: Ferritic Steel
Neutrons
57.4
2.0/3.0 cm
23 cm

35. 6 TBMs will be tested in ITER
SOLID
Breeders
Helium-Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) concept, using Reduced Activation Ferritic/Martensitic Steel (RA-F/MS) structures, He-coolant, Be-multiplier, and Li2TiO3 or Li4SiO4 ceramic breeder: proposed by EU
Water-Cooled Ceramic Breeder (WCCB) concept ,using RA-F/MS structures, water-coolant, Be-multiplier, and Li2TiO3 ceramic breeder: proposed by Japan
Helium-Cooled Ceramic Breeder (HCCB) concept, using RA-F/MS structures, He-coolant, Be-multiplier, and Li4SiO4 ceramic breeder: proposed by China
Helium-Cooled Ceramic Reflector (HCCR) concept, using RA-F/MS structures, He-coolant, Be-multiplier, Li4SiO4 ceramic breeder and C-pebbles reflector: proposed by Korea
Helium-Cooled Lithium-Lead (HCLL) concept, using RA-F/MS structures, He-coolant , and Pb-16Li breeder & multiplier: proposed by EU
Lithium-Lead Ceramic Breeder (LLCB) concepts using RA-F/MS structures, He-coolant , Pb-16Li breeder & multiplier & coolant, and Li2TiO3 ceramic breeder : proposed by India
LIQUID
Breeder

36. Components Classifications
ITER has been defined as a French Nuclear Facility (INB-174). This has a strong impact on the TBS components design, manufacturing, installation and operations. It is the first fusion facility falling under this definition.
For the six TBSs there are in total more than 500 components (excluding I&C systems) located in various rooms of the Tokamak Complex buildings. Each component has its own classifications.
Main component classifications to be defined are the following:
Protection Important Component (PIC)
ESP/ESPN (Pressure Equipment / Nuclear Pressure Equipment)
Quality class
Seismic, Tritium, Remote Handling
Each classification has an impact on the required design and fabrication procedure, on the component credit for safety assessment, on the installation/inspection procedure, on cost, on acceptance tests, etc…
The classification of each component has therefore to be fully defined before finalising their design and starting their procurements

37. Main challenges for the overall TBM Program
ITER Members perspective
TBM RAFM structural material + all functional materials: data base and technologies
TBS components performance
TBS components compactness
TBS testing objectives achievement
Instrumentation R&D
Tritium balance
Common
ESP/ESPN certification
for various components
Safety, in particular maximum dose rates in TBM Port cells
Components reliability
Licensing
IO-CT perspective
Integration in ITER
TBM Port Plugs sealing
Tritium management in Port Cells
Interfaces with other ITER systems
Impact on plasma performance
Port Cell maintenance

38. Blanket Structural Material
Must have very good radiation (14 MeV neutron) resistance as well as low activation properties.
Must be compatible with high temperature coolant
Selection based on safety, waste disposal, and performance
Candidates: Ferritic Steel, Vanadium Alloys, SiC/SiC Composites
T ~ 550°C,  ~ 35% T ~ 700°C,  ~ 40% T ~ 1,000°C,  > 50%

39. Overall View of the 6 Test Blanket Systems
Level 4: 4 CSs
Level 3: 2 CSs
Level 2: 6 TESs #2
#18
#16
Ancillary Systems in Tokamak Complex for 6 Test Blanket Systems formed by > 600 components:
6 independent Cooling Systems (CSs)
6 independent Tritium Extraction Systems (TESs)
6 independent Instrumentation & Control Systems