Numerical analyses for conceptual design of an irradiation PbLi capsule for testing of protective coatings for the European DEMO breeding blanket project

Three concepts of the European DEMO Breeding Blankets currently under development within the EUROfusion project use as a breeder eutectic lithium-lead (PbLi). Since the inner walls of the blanket modules and the associated ancillary systems has to withstand severe corrosion attack, protective aluminum-based corrosion and tritium permeation barriers are being developed within the Breeding Blanket project. The goal of this activity is to evaluate properties of these protective coatings in conditions of a combined effect of hot PbLi and neutron irradiation from the LVR-15 reactor. The reduction effect of coatings on tritium permeation will be measured comparing the tritium permeation rate between coated and uncoated Eurofer samples. The paper presents the major results of the preliminary neutronics and thermal-hydraulics calculations leading to the proper design of the irradiation capsule which is also described in this paper.