Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe - Wissenschaftliche Berichte - FZKA 7210
Nuclear Fusion Programme Annual Report of the Association
Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe/EURATOM January 2005 - December 2005
Programm Kernfusion
Abstract
Nuclear fusion represents a most promising option for a safe,
sustainable energy source which can be made inherently safe and which, even
with a substantial contribution to a future global energy supply will not meet
resource limits and should not leave burdens for future generations. Fusion
research therefore has to fully explore this option as to provide a complete
basis of proven information whether energy production by fusion is technically feasible,
ecologically tolerable and finally, economically meaningful.
The FZK fusion research programme is fully integrated in the
European Fusion Programme which follows a road map towards commercial fusion
energy. At present the so-called Fast Track is intensively discussed in Europe
which would reduce the time span to commercial fusion power by ten years (Fig.
1). Three major elements of research and development are required in order to
generate the know-how for the construction of a fusion power station
DEMO/PROTO:
A base physics programme targeted to improve capabilities to
simulate plasma confinement concepts while making use of existing experimental
facilities.
A major facilities programme including ITER as the most
important next step, IFMIF for the qualification of materials for DEMO and a
component test facility.
A base technology programme comprising plasma support
technologies such as superconducting magnets, fuelling systems, high heat flux
components, remote maintenance, reactor relevant steady state plasma heating
systems etc., and fusion power technologies such as breeding blankets, helium
cooled divertor and tritium extraction systems.
Grafik!!!
The activities of all the European fusion laboratories (known
as EURATOM Associations) and industry are combined into one organisational
structure via the European Fusion Development Agreement (EFDA). EFDA has a
leader and two associate leaders (one for JET and one for fusion technology). It
is guided by a steering committee, consisting of the heads of association
laboratories, which has to approve the major strategy and annual work programmes
as well as large contracts with industry or associations.
Within this framework FZK is developing key technologies in
the areas of superconducting magnets, microwave heating systems
(Electron-Cyclotron-Resonance-Heating, ECRH), the deuterium-tritium fuel cycle,
He-cooled breeding blankets, a He-cooled divertor and structural materials as
well as refractory metals for high heat flux applications including a major participation
in the international IFMIF project. Furthermore investigations on plasma wall interactions
and core and divertor modelling are carried out and a global plasma model is being
developed.
The results from experimental activities such as the tests of
high temperature superconducting current leads in the test facility TOSKA, the
quasi-stationary gyrotron operation and the operation of fuel cycle subsystems
and components with deuterium-tritium have already been utilised for the design
work for ITER. In addition large progress has been made in the engineering
design of test blanket modules for ITER.
With regard to DEMO design integration of blanket modules
taking into account requirements of remotely controlled handling has been
started and the conceptual design of a He-cooled divertor considering two
alternatives of cooling the target plate has been elaborated. Both activities
will serve as an input to the planned DEMO study.
The detailed design and construction of ITER components and
subsystems needs to be supported by experiments such as prototype testing,
validation of scale up factors and additional R&D. For this purpose a
helium loop HELOKA has been designed which not only serves for experimental
investigations but also as a pilot loop in view of the loops to be installed in
ITER for the cooling of test blanket modules. HELOKA Construction will start in
2006.
In order to efficiently manage these tasks a project-oriented
approach is required involving a quality assured and quality controlled
exploitation of R&D results. Subsequently the development of a quality
control system has been started. This process shall result in the development
of complete licensable components and systems. In a later phase support has to
be provided to industrial partners who shall produce, assemble and finally
install the components or systems into ITER, taking quality control and
licensing aspects into account. However, the responsibility for the performance
and the overall management of the procurement, installation and commissioning
shall remain with the designers.
In order to meet this challenge, a project-oriented
organisation structure is maintained in the FZK fusion programme by means of
task forces in the areas Blanket/Divertor, HELOKA, Microwave Heating,
Superconducting Magnets, Fuel Cycle and IFMIF (14 MeV neutron source). A task
force which is responsible for a large component or subsystem to be delivered
to ITER can be seen as a design and development division with a division head and
several groups, each of them having a group leader. A team of design engineers supported
by CAD constitutes the nucleus of each group in the task force. Besides the above-mentioned
task forces materials research is oriented at engineering requirements.
About 220 professionals and technicians are involved in the
fusion programme of the Association FZK-EURATOM with additional support of the
technical departments. Progress from January 2005 to December 2005 is reported
here. More information is available from the programme management and from the
responsible scientists. The website www.fzk.de/fusion offers further access to
the fusion activities of FZK.
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