The DEMO Water-Cooled Lead-Lithium Breeding Blanket: Design Status at the End of the Pre-Conceptual Design Phase

The Water-Cooled Lead-Lithium Breeding Blanket (WCLL BB) is one of the two blanket concept candidates to become the driver blanket of the EU-DEMO reactor. The design was enacted with a holistic approach. The influence that neutronics, thermal-hydraulics (TH), thermo-mechanics (TM) and magneto-hydro-dynamics (MHD) may have on the design were considered at the same time. This new approach allowed for the design team to create a WCLL BB layout that is able to comply with different foreseen requirements in terms of integration, tritium self-sufficiency, and TH and TM needs. In this paper, the rationale behind the design choices and the main characteristics of the WCLL BB needed for the EU-DEMO are reported and discussed. Finally, the main achievements reached during the pre-conceptual design phase and some remaining open issues to be further investigated in the upcoming conceptual design phase are reported as well.

Automated summary

The Water-Cooled Lead-Lithium Breeding Blanket (WCLL BB) is a candidate for the driver blanket of the EU-DEMO reactor, designed with a holistic approach that considers various factors such as neutronics, thermal-hydraulics, thermo-mechanics, and magneto-hydro-dynamics. The layout of WCLL BB is able to meet different requirements, including integration, tritium self-sufficiency, and thermal and mechanical needs. The design choices and characteristics of WCLL BB for EU-DEMO are discussed, along with achievements and remaining issues to be investigated further in the upcoming design phase.