Prototyping of the Blanket Shield Module for the ITER EC H&CD Upper launcher

Abstract The design of the ITER Electron Cyclotron Heating and Current Drive (ECH&CD) Upper launcher is recently in the first of two final design phases. The first phase deals with the finalization of all FCS (First Confinement System) components as well as with specific design progress for the remaining In-vessel components. The most outstanding structural In-vessel component of an ECH&CD Upper launcher is the Blanket Shield Module (BSM) with the First Wall Panel (FWP). Both of them form the plasma facing part of the launcher, which has to meet strong demands on dissipation of nuclear heat loads and mechanical rigidity. Nuclear heat loads from 3 MW/m 3 at the First Wall Panel’ surface, decaying down to a tenth in a distance of 0.5 m behind of it will affect the BSM and the FWP. Additional heating of maximum 0.5 MW/m 2 due to plasma radiation must be dissipated from the FWP. To guarantee save and homogenous removal of such extensive heat loads, the BSM is designed as a welded steel-case with specific cooling channels inside its wall structure. Attached to its face side is the FWP with a high-power cooling structure. Based on computational analysis the optimum cooling channel geometry has been investigated. Specific pre-prototype tests have been made and associated assembly parameters have been determined in order to identify optimum manufacturing processes and joining techniques, which guarantee a robust design with maximum geometrical accuracy. This paper describes the design, manufacturing and testing of a full-size mock-up of the BSM. The study was carried out in an industrial cooperation with MAN Diesel and Turbo SE.