ITER TBM Program and associated system engineering

Six Test Blanket Systems (TBS) will be installed and operated in ITER in the framework of the ITER Test Blanket Module (TBM) Program. After a short description of each TBS and of the main operating parameters, this paper gives the main features of the various TBSs sub-systems, in particular, the cooling systems (helium, water and/or lithium-lead), the tritium system for extracting the tritium from the breeder, the coolant purification system, the tritium accountancy system, and several instrumentation & control systems. This paper addresses also the main services that are needed to operate a TBS such as the secondary water cooling system, the chilled water system to cool the helium circulators, the liquid and gaseous nitrogen used in the tritium extraction process, the compressed air needed to operate the various valves present on the circuits, and the electrical power supply for all the active electrical components such as pumps, circulators and heaters. Other important aspects are the required interfaces with other ITER plant systems such as those involving air and process gas detritiation, power supply, radiological and environmental monitoring, remote handling, measurements, and services.