Development of the Helium Cooled Lithium Lead blanket for DEMO

The Helium Cooled Lithium Lead (HCLL) blanket is one of the candidate European blanket concepts selected for the DEMOnstration fusion power plant that should follow ITER. In a fusion power plant, the blanket is one of the key components because of its impact on the plant performance, availability, safety and economics. In 2012, the European Fusion Development Agreement (EFDA) agency issued new specifications for DEMO: this paper describes the work performed to adapt the previous 2007 HCLL-DEMO blanket design to those specifications. A new segmentation has been defined assuming straight surfaces for all blanket modules. Following the Multi Module Segment (MMS) option, all modules are attached to a common back supporting structure which also serves as manifold for Helium and PbLi distribution. A detailed CAD design of the central outboard module has been defined. Thermo-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical analyses on of the First Wall and Breeder Zone have been carried out. For the attachment of the modules to the common backplate, a new solution based on the use of Tie Rods, derived from the design of the corresponding HCLL Test Blanket Module for ITER, has been proposed. This paper also identifies the priorities for further development of the HCLL blanket design. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.