Conceptual design of the dual-coolant blanket within the framework of the EU power plant conceptual study (TW2-TRP-PPCS12). Final report

The dual-coolant (DC) blanket - characterized by its simple construction, simple function, and high thermal efficiency - is one of the EU advanced blanket concepts to be investigated within the framework of the power plant conceptual study (PPCS). Its basic concept is based on the use of helium-cooled ferritic steel structure, a self-cooled Pb-17Li breeding zone, and SiC f /SiC flow channel inserts serving as electrical and thermal insulators. The present PPCS stage III is largely based on the preparatory study on fusion plant availability (PPA) carried out in 1999 with the objective to perform the conceptual design of the DC blanket (model C). Some details are to be selected in accordance with the overall strategy, which allows an extrapolation of the present knowledge between the near-term blanket concept solutions: water-cooled lead-lithium (WCLL, model A), helium-cooled pebble bed (HCPB, model B), and the very advanced concept of self-cooled Pb-17Li SiC f /SiC (SCLL, model D). In the PPCS the electrical reactor power is normalized to a typical value of commercial reactors of 1,500 MW, which requires iterative calculations between the blanket layout and the system code analysis. This work is coordinated by FZK in co-operation with CEA, EFET/IBERTEF, UKAEA, VR, and VTT Processes. In this report, the present state of development of model C shall be described; the final results of the study shall be summarized and discussed.