Developing a Vendor Base for Fusion Commercialization

Stan Milora, DirectorFusion Energy DivisionVirtual Laboratory of Technology

Martin PengFusion Energy Division

Relationship of Initiatives to Gaps (2007 FESAC Greenwald Panel)

-------- Fusion Nuclear S&T ----------------- Plasma Control S&T ---------

Ed Synakowski, Associate DirectorOffice of Fusion Energy SciencesFebruary 28, 2012

US Industry is designing and building major ITER components, led by ORNL, PPPL and SRNL

Cooling, Diagnostics, Plasma Heating, Fueling and Exhaust Systems (Tritium), Electrical Network, S/C Magnets

5 Managed by UT-Battellefor the U.S. Department of Energy Juergen Rapp, Presentation to DOE, December 8th 2011

Challenge: particle fluxes and fluenceJET ITER Fusion Reactor

50 x higher ion fluxes

5000 x higher ion fluence

106 x higher neutron fluence (~1dpa)

up to 5 x higher ion fluence

100 x higher neutron fluence (~150 dpa)

Plasma facing components encounter 20% of the fusion energy release as high surface heat and ion fluxes.

• High average and transient heat fluxes

• Surface ablation and melting .

• Erosion and re-deposition, dust formation, and plasma contamination

• Tritium implantation and retention strongly coupled to neutron damage

Plasma facing components in JET and NSTX: first wall (A), rfantenna (B), and divertor (C)

A

B

C

B

B

Tritium breeding and power extraction components volumetrically absorb 80 % of the fusion energy release via nuclear materials interactions.

ITER dual cooled lead lithium (DCLL) tritium breeding test blanket

concept

PbLi out

He outHe in

PbLi in

Be first wall

Reduced Activation Ferritic/MartensiticSteel(RAFM) structure

Depth in DCLL TBM(cm)Nuclear/materials interaction in RAFM

Pow

er D

ensi

ty(W

/cm

3 )

• High temperature creep, thermo mechanical and magnetic stresses, corrosion

• Thermo fluid flow and conducting fluid flow across magnetic fields

• Tritium production, release, extraction and control

• Hardening, loss of ductility and fracture toughness, thermal conductivity degradation

• Void swelling, helium embrittlement

• Activation

oC oC

Example:Fusion Nuclear

Sciences FacilityCompact volume neutron source

Develop experimental database for all fusion reactor internals and, in parallel with ITER,

provide basis for DEMO

Fusion nuclear S&T in the ITER era

Nuclear effects

Plasma effects

HFIR: Fission neutron spectrum 

SNS: Spallation neutron spectrum

OLCF: Theory and multiscale modeling

NSTX: Boundary physics research

High‐intensityplasma materials 

test station

International collaboration

Engaging Office of Science facilities and programs, complemented by critical new fusion facilities and international collaboration

PMTS

• Fusion Energy Sciences Program Strategy: Plasma Control Science (ITER) and Integrated Fusion Nuclear Science

• U.S. ITER Project engaging Industry, Universities and National Labs

• Next critical R&D opportunities: materials and internals encountering fusion particle fluxes and fluences

• Examples: “from lab science to industry to energy commercialization”

• Fusion nuclear S&T in the ITER era: to engage Office of Science facilities and programs, and be complemented by critical new facilities and international collaboration

Developing a vendor base for fusion commercialization