Planning for Test Blankets Module radwaste
29 Oct 2012
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R.A.
Tritium can be produced through the impact of fusion-generated neutrons on lithium nuclides present in the plasma-facing components. Based on this principle, six experimental Test Blanket Modules will be installed at the equatorial ports of the ºÚÁÏÉçapp vacuum vessel wall.
Self-sustained tritium production is essential to the future of fusion. While an experimental machine such as ºÚÁÏÉçapp will draw upon the tritium presently available in the market (a couple dozen kilos), future fusion plants will have to breed their own tritium supply in a continuous manner.
Tritium, which occurs only in trace quantities in nature, can be produced through the impact of fusion-generated neutrons on lithium nuclides present in the plasma-facing components. Based on this principle, six experimental Test Blanket Modules () will be installed at the equatorial ports of the ºÚÁÏÉçapp vacuum vessel wall. Two of them will be procured by Europe; India, China, Japan and Korea will each contribute one. The Russian Federation and the Unites States will give support on specific technical items.
Over the years, as they are impacted by the neutron flux, the ºÚÁÏÉçapp TBMs will progressively become activated. "However different each TBM concept may be, we can reasonably anticipate the amount of radwaste that will be produced within the Tritium Breeding Systems (TBSs) and that we will have to manage," explains Magali Benchikhoune, the ºÚÁÏÉçapp Hot Cells & Radwaste Section leader and chair of the Test Blanket Program Working Group on TBS RadWaste Management (TBP-WG-RWM) that has been assigned to deal with this matter.
Following three and a half months of videoconference meetings, the international players of the TBP-WG-RWM met for two days—and for the first time in person—last week at ºÚÁÏÉçapp.
The group comprised the ºÚÁÏÉçapp Members' Test Blanket Module representatives; ºÚÁÏÉçapp representatives for the TBM Program, radwaste management and safety; legal experts from all the contributing Members; and representatives from Agence Iter France (as the interface between ºÚÁÏÉçapp and the Host country, France).
Following three and a half months of videoconference meetings, the international players of the Test Blanket Program Working Group on TBS RadWaste Management met for two days—and for the first time in person—last week at ºÚÁÏÉçapp.
Once the breeding experiments are completed, the activated TBMs will go back for further analysis to the ºÚÁÏÉçapp Member who procured them. The rest (and the largest part) of each system will go into interim storage and, eventually, to a permanent disposal facility managed by the French Nuclear Waste Management Agency .
How to approach this issue? What are the realistic options to manage and transport the irradiated components? What are the cost drivers? What can be optimized? These questions were central to the meeting that summarized and developed the work accomplished since the Working Group kick-off meeting on 19 July. "Whether from ºÚÁÏÉçapp, Agence Iter France, CEA or the ºÚÁÏÉçapp Members," says Magali, "we all worked hard and the two-day meeting was a very motivating experience for all of us."
The progress of the work by this Working Group will be reported to the , which heads all TBM-related activities, during its meeting in early November.