Conceptual design of a First Wall mock-up experiment in preparation for the qualification of breeding blanket technologies in the Helium Loop Karlsruhe (HELOKA) facility

Zeile, Christian; Abou-Sena, Ali; Boccaccini, L.V.; Ghidersa, Bradut-Eugen; Kang, Qinlan; Kunze, André; Lamberti, Luca; Maione, Ivan Alessio; Rey, J.; Weth, A. von der

doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2015.12.031

Cited by 9 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…For many experimental studies it is then necessary to rely on existing manufactured mock-ups. This is also the case of the present campaign conducted, which employs an existing First Wall Mock-Up (FWMU) manufactured in the frame of the Test Blanket Module (TBM) studies [7].…”

Section: First Wall Mock-up Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In these studies, the back side of the mock-up was not allowed to deform in the vertical (Z) direction, and four points, close to the center of the mock-up, were assumed as fixed points. In [7] these studies were continued, examining the possible attachment of the mock-up in more detail. Restricting the length of the heated surface to the area between the insert points of the vertical nozzles and using a specially designed attachment system (attachment F1 in [7]), the study showed that, by leaving the sides of the mock-up free to move, the mock-up would survive even the high heat loads for the assumed lifetime of a TBM set in ITER (850 h operating time and 3000 cycles/year, assuming a total operation of 2.5 years).…”

Section: Experimental Matrix and Pre-test Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In [7] these studies were continued, examining the possible attachment of the mock-up in more detail. Restricting the length of the heated surface to the area between the insert points of the vertical nozzles and using a specially designed attachment system (attachment F1 in [7]), the study showed that, by leaving the sides of the mock-up free to move, the mock-up would survive even the high heat loads for the assumed lifetime of a TBM set in ITER (850 h operating time and 3000 cycles/year, assuming a total operation of 2.5 years). If the movement on the border of the mock-up is restricted (attachment F2 in [7]), the maximum heat flux, for which the design criteria are met, is reduced.…”

Section: Experimental Matrix and Pre-test Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the present stage, the blanket concept employs helium as coolant, Li 4 SiO 4 as breeder material, Be 12 Ti as neutron multiplier material, and EUROFER as structural material [2][3][4]. As part of the general strategy [5,6] for the qualification of the DEMO design and its components, in view of licensing and operation, several experiments have been performed or are planned to be carried out in the HELOKA facility at KIT [7,8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Experimental Investigation of a Helium-Cooled Breeding Blanket First Wall under LOFA Conditions and Pre-Test and Post-Test Numerical Analysis

et al. 2021

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The experimental investigation of a prototypical set-up simulating a loss of flow accident in a helium-cooled breeding blanket first wall mock-up under typical heat load conditions is presented. The experimental campaign reproduces the expected DEMO thermal-hydraulics conditions during normal and off-normal situations and aims at providing some insight into the fast transients associated with the loss of flow in the blanket first wall. The experimental set-up and the definition of the experimental matrix are discussed, including pre-test analysis performed in support of these activities. The major experimental results are discussed, and a procedure of using the acquired data for validating and calibrating the RELAP-3D model of the mock-up is introduced. All these activities contributed to the creation of a relevant theoretical and practical experience that can be used in further studies concerning incidental transients in real-plant scenarios in the framework of DEMO plant fusion safety activities.

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Section: First Wall Mock-up Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Experimental Matrix and Pre-test Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Experimental Matrix and Pre-test Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Experimental Investigation of a Helium-Cooled Breeding Blanket First Wall under LOFA Conditions and Pre-Test and Post-Test Numerical Analysis

et al. 2021

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“…In recent years, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has performed several experimental campaigns to qualify the HCPB design and to provide experimental data for code validation studies [1,3]. One of these campaigns involved is a First Wall Mock-Up (FWMU) under different Loss Of Flow Accident (LOFA) conditions [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-Test Numerical Analysis of a Helium-Cooled Breeding Blanket First Wall under LOFA Conditions with the MELCOR Fusion Code

et al. 2021

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The validation of numerical tools employed in the analysis of incidental transients in a fusion reactor is a topic of main concern. KIT is taking part in this task providing both experimental data and by performing numerical analysis in support of the main codes used for the safety analyses of the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) blanket concept. In recent years, an experimental campaign has been performed in the KIT-HELOKA facility to investigate the behavior of a First Wall Mock-Up (FWMU) under Loss Of Flow Accident (LOFA) conditions. The aim of the experimental campaign was twofold: to check the expected DEMO thermal-hydraulics conditions during normal and off-normal conditions and to provide robust data for code validation. The present work is part of these validation efforts, and it deals with the analysis of the LOFA experimental campaign with the system code MELCOR 1.8.6 for fusion. A best-estimate methodology has been used in support of this analysis to ease the distinction between user’s assumptions and code limitations. The numerical analyses are here described together with their goals, achievements, and lesson learnt.

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Characterization of the cooling channels of First Wall Mock-up dedicated to the HCPB TBM qualification

Abou-Sena

Boccaccini

Ghidersa

et al. 2017

Fusion Engineering and Design

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The First Wall (FW) of the EU Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) Test Blanket Module (TBM) faces the fusion plasma and experiences high heat fluxes; therefore its cooling channels design is a key R&D task for qualifying the HCPB TBM for the fusion reactors ITER and DEMO. Within the manufacturing and qualification activities performed in KIT for the HCPB TBM, a First Wall Mock-up (FWM) was designed and manufactured. The objective of this study is to characterize the hydrodynamic behaviour of the FWM cooling channels by investigating the coolant pressure loss for each channel. The FWM has a shape of rectangular prism (710 mm × 405 mm × 45 mm) and 10 U-shaped cooling channels which have a square cross section (15 mm × 15 mm) with rounded corners of 4 mm radius. The FWM was integrated into an experimental gas loop that has the relevant instrumentation and piping system for measuring and controlling the gas (e.g. compressed air of 6 bar abs.) flow parameters. This paper presents the experimental results of measuring the pressure loss across the FWM cooling channels and discusses its main causes. In addition, the experimental results are compared with theoretical values obtained from relevant models and formula available in the literature. The results of this study will support the qualification of the HCPB TBM mock-ups which will be tested at fusion-relevant heat flux and helium cooling in the Helium Loop Karlsruhe (HELOKA) facility.

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Conceptual design of a First Wall mock-up experiment in preparation for the qualification of breeding blanket technologies in the Helium Loop Karlsruhe (HELOKA) facility

Cited by 9 publications

References 7 publications

Experimental Investigation of a Helium-Cooled Breeding Blanket First Wall under LOFA Conditions and Pre-Test and Post-Test Numerical Analysis

Experimental Investigation of a Helium-Cooled Breeding Blanket First Wall under LOFA Conditions and Pre-Test and Post-Test Numerical Analysis

Post-Test Numerical Analysis of a Helium-Cooled Breeding Blanket First Wall under LOFA Conditions with the MELCOR Fusion Code

Characterization of the cooling channels of First Wall Mock-up dedicated to the HCPB TBM qualification

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