- Email: [email protected]
Broader Approach to fusion energy
Fusion Engineering and Design 84 (2009) 122–124
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Fusion Engineering and Design journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/fusengdes
Broader Approach to fusion energy Toshihide Tsunematsu ∗ Fusion Research & Development Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 801-1 Mukohyama, Naka, Ibaraki 311-0193, Japan
a r t i c l e
i n f o
Keywords: Fusion energy Broader Approach ITER project Satellite Tokamak IFMIF-EVEDA IFERC
a b s t r a c t The Broader Approach activities aim at complementing the ITER project and at an acceleration of fusion energy in the framework of collaboration between Japan and EURATOM. Three research projects are to be undertaken: (1) Satellite Tokamak Programme, (2) Engineering Validation and Engineering Design Activities for the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF/EVEDA), and (3) International Fusion Energy Research Centre (IFERC). While the Satellite Tokamak Programme is to be conducted at the site of the existing JT-60 tokamak, the other two projects are to be undertaken at a new research site in Rokkasho, Japan. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
1. Fusion as an energy source The energy consumption in the world is increasing and the increasing in CO2 emission would resultantly lead to global warming. Notwithstanding every possible measure incorporated into the energy supply system, such as CO2 sequestrated fossil fuel, nuclear fission, and renewable energy such as wind power, photo-voltaic power, bio-mass power, etc., there is still a shortage of energy supply. A significant amount of energy should be supplied by some innovative energy systems not presently developed. Among possible energy resources, nuclear fusion is notable for its substantial advantages over other forms of energy generation in terms of safety, fuel availability and environmental protection. The earth has an abundant supply of the fuel and raw material required for nuclear fusion. Magnetic fusion reactor is inherently safe and does not create high-level radioactive waste, nor are global warming emissions a concern associated with the generation of fusion energy. For these reasons, worldwide effort in research and development has been continuing towards the practical utilization of fusion energy as a long-term ultimate energy source. 2. ITER and future An important figure of merit toward fusion power plant is the so-called Q-value; the energy multiplication factor defined by the ratio of fusion power output to the external power input to the plasma. The goal of the fusion power plant can be envisaged by a Q-value of around 30–50, at high pressure, steady-state or very long-term operation. The required Q-value of the fusion power
∗ Tel.: +81 29 270 7200; fax: +81 29 270 7219. E-mail address: [email protected]. 0920-3796/$ – see front matter © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2009.02.029
plant is defined by the efficiency of the plant, e.g. circulation power about 15% for Q = 50 and 20% for Q = 30 in the case of 3250 MW thermal power, respectively. In contrast, the present fusion community has achieved Q-values around 1, in two of the world large Tokamaks. An experimental reactor is expected to bridge these two phases, by achieving controlled ignition and extended burn of a deuterium and tritium plasma, with steady-state as an ultimate goal, thus demonstrating technologies essential to a reactor in an integrated system, and performing an integrated test of the highheat-flux and nuclear components required to utilize fusion power for practical purposes. The ITER project, as an important step for fusion energy, is regarded as suitable tokamak experimental reactor in the fusion research and development programme in the world. After long discussions and negotiations, seven major parties participate in this worldwide project, i.e. China, European Union, Korea, India, Japan, Russian Federation and the United States. The objectives of ITER are: (1) demonstration of high power amplification and extended burn of Deuterium and Tritium plasmas with steady-state as an ultimate goal, (2) demonstration of technologies essential to fusion power reactor, such as superconducting magnets, high-voltage heating systems, high-heat-flux components, remote handling system and so on, and (3) integrated testing of the high-heat-flux and nuclear components required to utilize fusion energy for practical use. A typical test for the nuclear component is planned on the breeding blankets for the DEMO reactor. In parallel with ITER, some key developments could accelerate the development of a fusion power plant: improvement of the fusion plasma performance, a survey of the concepts of fusion power plant and research on key elements, such as materials with long life against high neutron-fluence and fuel production efficiency. The essential point is the development of long life materials.
T. Tsunematsu / Fusion Engineering and Design 84 (2009) 122–124
123
Fig. 1. Overall schedule of the BA activity.
3. The Broader Approach The Broader Approach is aiming at the acceleration of the research and development towards the early realization of fusion power plant. In parallel with ITER collaboration, Japan and Europe agreed to start the activity [1]. The Agreement on Broader Approach includes the following three projects. 3.1. Satellite Tokamak Programme (JT-60SA) The JT-60 tokamak in Naka, Ibaraki, Japan will be upgraded to a superconducting tokamak JT-60 SA, and will be exploited as a “satellite” facility to ITER. The Satellite Tokamak Programme is expected to develop operating scenarios and address key physics issues for an efficient start up of ITER and for providing a continuous support to ITER experimentation, and to advance research towards the early realization of DEMO as well. The missions of the Satellite Tokamak are, on large tokamak size plasmas: - To support ITER by developing an improved understanding of physics issues, optimizing operation scenarios, testing possible future modifications and training scientists, engineers and technicians. - To pursue an integrated exploration of steady-state, high beta DEMO relevant plasma scenarios with adequate power and particle control. After the conceptual design [2] is finalized, detailed modifications are on going taking account of the manufacturing feasibility and the cost of the components.
3.2. Engineering validation and engineering design activities for the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF/EVEDA) IFMIF is an intense 14 MeV neutron source to allow testing and qualification of materials in an environment similar to that of a future fusion power plant (DEMO). The IFMIF/EVEDA project aims at producing a detailed, complete and fully integrated engineering design of IFMIF. The project comprises the following activities: - The engineering design of the IFMIF facility, safety assessment for a generic site and preparation of the technical specifications for the longest delivery components for the construction in future. - The design and construction of the low energy section of one of the two IFMIF accelerators, including the first cavity of the Drift Tube Linac. Tests with full power beam will be conducted to demonstrate the feasibility and availability of the accelerator. - The design, construction and tests of a scale 1:3 model of the Target Facility. This should include design and tests of its remote handling. - The design, construction and tests of mock-ups of the Test Facility (high flux volume and medium flux volume), including irradiation of the test set-up to relevant irradiation dose values to check performance under real operating conditions. The IFMIF facility is characterized by its continuous operation at a high beam current. Each one of the two IFMIF accelerators has to produce 125 mA, 40 MeV Deuterium ion beam, continuous duty. This average beam current is more than two orders of magnitude higher than in the existing high energy accelerators, and requires well coordinated R&D to develop the accelerator technology and an efficient target technology.
Fig. 2. Bird eye view of Rokkasho site under construction.
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T. Tsunematsu / Fusion Engineering and Design 84 (2009) 122–124
3.3. International Fusion Energy Research Centre (IFERC) In order to contribute to the ITER project and to promote a possible early realization of DEMO, the International Fusion Energy Research Centre (IFERC) is planned to perform the following three research and development tasks; DEMO Design and R&D Coordination Centre, Fusion Computer Simulation Centre and Remote Experimentation Centre. The DEMO Design and R&D Coordination Centre will play an important role in coordinating scientific and technological activities necessary to produce the DEMO power reactor design including design activities and technology R&D on key and long-term issues of common interest. The expected results will include the conceptual design of DEMO, in which the outcome from R&D activities is reflected. The mission of the Fusion Computer Simulation Centre is to install and to operate a supercomputer for the simulation and modeling of ITER, of JT-60SA and other fusion experiments, and for the design of future fusion power plants as well as material research and research on possible improvement of power plant concepts, in particular for DEMO. The Remote Experimentation Center (REC) will be developed as a remote facility for experimental campaigns preparation and data analysis for ITER. The REC could be able in future to monitor the ITER plant status, prepare and transfer pulse parameter files to CODAC, presenting the main machine and plasma parameters in real time, and accessing promptly the experimental data for further analysis at REC. The REC will be tested on JT-60SA, and possibly on other tokamak prior to its application to ITER. Testing of REC on other machines may also be decided by the Parties. The objectives of REC are: - To demonstrate the functionality of a Remote Experimentation Centre on JT-60SA before actual use for ITER experimentation. - To develop a Tokamak Simulator for burning plasma research in conjunction with the Fusion Computer Simulation Centre. This activity is also useful in the preparation of ITER Operation. These three research and development tasks of IFERC are linked to each other. The Fusion Computational Simulation task, intimately linked to the ITER Remote Experimentation task, includes analysis and/or prediction of burning plasmas of ITER and of JT-60SA, and also supports design and tests of reactor technology systems.
personnel resources are included. The major part of the project is provided by in-kind contributions from EU and Japan. The core teams for each project consist of about 10 people who are from EU and Japan. The role of project teams is to supervise the project and to control the documentations. The detailed design, manufacturing and installation of the facilities are included in the in-kind contributions in EU and Japan. The construction activity of Satellite Tokamak is now underway the design phase which will require seven and a half years in Naka. Based on the executive summary of the Concept Design Report (CDR) of JT-60SA in June 2007, an integrated project team among Japan and Europe is preparing the Integrated Design Report (IDR) to finalize the functional specifications of components by the end of 2008. The initial procurement has started for the conductors of the magnets. IFMIF/EVEDA project was launched on 1 June 2007. IFMIF/EVEDA project team started working in Rokkasho in July 2007. They developed an overall project schedule aiming the first draft completion date for the IFMIF system engineering set in June 2012 and final completion of the IFMIF/EVEDA project in June 2013. The IFMIF/EVEDA Building at Rokkasho for testing prototype accelerator had been successfully designed under the collaboration between JAEA and EU-IA by January 2008, and the construction has started together with other facilities (Fig. 2). At IFERC project, workshops were held to establish the design basis of DEMO and to define long-term R&D issues. After three years, the results of workshops are expected to converge into joint work of DEMO design. The main activities for the Computer Simulation Center and Remote Experimentation Center are envisaged to be conducted during the second half of the period. A special working group was established for selecting a state of art computer and benchmark codes from the view on future simulation activities in fusion. While the Broader Approach activity was started under Japan and Europe collaboration, both Parties invited the participant Parties in the ITER Project to join the Broader Approach activity. Acknowledgements The authors acknowledge the Project Leaders of three projects, Drs. S. Ishida for JT-60SA, P. Garin for IFMIF/EVEDA, and M. Araki for IFERC projects. They also acknowledge the staff at JAEA and Fusion for Energy for their coordinated collaboration in the implementation of the Broader Approach Project. References
4. Schedule and status of the Broader Approach activity The overall schedule of the BA activities during the 10 years duration of the Agreement is shown in Fig. 1. The evaluated resources in May 2005 are 339 M Euro from EU and 46B yen from Japan. The
[1] Y. Okumura, R. Andreani, Broader Approach to fusion power, in: 8th International Symposium on Fusion Nuclear Technology (ISFNT-8), Heidelberg, Germany, September–October, 2007, p. P1-0004. [2] N. Hosogane, Super Conducting Tokamak JT-60SA Project for ITER and DEMO Reactors, Fusion Science Technology 52 (2007) 37.
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Fusion Engineering and Design journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/fusengdes
Broader Approach to fusion energy Toshihide Tsunematsu ∗ Fusion Research & Development Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 801-1 Mukohyama, Naka, Ibaraki 311-0193, Japan
a r t i c l e
i n f o
Keywords: Fusion energy Broader Approach ITER project Satellite Tokamak IFMIF-EVEDA IFERC
a b s t r a c t The Broader Approach activities aim at complementing the ITER project and at an acceleration of fusion energy in the framework of collaboration between Japan and EURATOM. Three research projects are to be undertaken: (1) Satellite Tokamak Programme, (2) Engineering Validation and Engineering Design Activities for the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF/EVEDA), and (3) International Fusion Energy Research Centre (IFERC). While the Satellite Tokamak Programme is to be conducted at the site of the existing JT-60 tokamak, the other two projects are to be undertaken at a new research site in Rokkasho, Japan. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
1. Fusion as an energy source The energy consumption in the world is increasing and the increasing in CO2 emission would resultantly lead to global warming. Notwithstanding every possible measure incorporated into the energy supply system, such as CO2 sequestrated fossil fuel, nuclear fission, and renewable energy such as wind power, photo-voltaic power, bio-mass power, etc., there is still a shortage of energy supply. A significant amount of energy should be supplied by some innovative energy systems not presently developed. Among possible energy resources, nuclear fusion is notable for its substantial advantages over other forms of energy generation in terms of safety, fuel availability and environmental protection. The earth has an abundant supply of the fuel and raw material required for nuclear fusion. Magnetic fusion reactor is inherently safe and does not create high-level radioactive waste, nor are global warming emissions a concern associated with the generation of fusion energy. For these reasons, worldwide effort in research and development has been continuing towards the practical utilization of fusion energy as a long-term ultimate energy source. 2. ITER and future An important figure of merit toward fusion power plant is the so-called Q-value; the energy multiplication factor defined by the ratio of fusion power output to the external power input to the plasma. The goal of the fusion power plant can be envisaged by a Q-value of around 30–50, at high pressure, steady-state or very long-term operation. The required Q-value of the fusion power
∗ Tel.: +81 29 270 7200; fax: +81 29 270 7219. E-mail address: [email protected]. 0920-3796/$ – see front matter © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2009.02.029
plant is defined by the efficiency of the plant, e.g. circulation power about 15% for Q = 50 and 20% for Q = 30 in the case of 3250 MW thermal power, respectively. In contrast, the present fusion community has achieved Q-values around 1, in two of the world large Tokamaks. An experimental reactor is expected to bridge these two phases, by achieving controlled ignition and extended burn of a deuterium and tritium plasma, with steady-state as an ultimate goal, thus demonstrating technologies essential to a reactor in an integrated system, and performing an integrated test of the highheat-flux and nuclear components required to utilize fusion power for practical purposes. The ITER project, as an important step for fusion energy, is regarded as suitable tokamak experimental reactor in the fusion research and development programme in the world. After long discussions and negotiations, seven major parties participate in this worldwide project, i.e. China, European Union, Korea, India, Japan, Russian Federation and the United States. The objectives of ITER are: (1) demonstration of high power amplification and extended burn of Deuterium and Tritium plasmas with steady-state as an ultimate goal, (2) demonstration of technologies essential to fusion power reactor, such as superconducting magnets, high-voltage heating systems, high-heat-flux components, remote handling system and so on, and (3) integrated testing of the high-heat-flux and nuclear components required to utilize fusion energy for practical use. A typical test for the nuclear component is planned on the breeding blankets for the DEMO reactor. In parallel with ITER, some key developments could accelerate the development of a fusion power plant: improvement of the fusion plasma performance, a survey of the concepts of fusion power plant and research on key elements, such as materials with long life against high neutron-fluence and fuel production efficiency. The essential point is the development of long life materials.
T. Tsunematsu / Fusion Engineering and Design 84 (2009) 122–124
123
Fig. 1. Overall schedule of the BA activity.
3. The Broader Approach The Broader Approach is aiming at the acceleration of the research and development towards the early realization of fusion power plant. In parallel with ITER collaboration, Japan and Europe agreed to start the activity [1]. The Agreement on Broader Approach includes the following three projects. 3.1. Satellite Tokamak Programme (JT-60SA) The JT-60 tokamak in Naka, Ibaraki, Japan will be upgraded to a superconducting tokamak JT-60 SA, and will be exploited as a “satellite” facility to ITER. The Satellite Tokamak Programme is expected to develop operating scenarios and address key physics issues for an efficient start up of ITER and for providing a continuous support to ITER experimentation, and to advance research towards the early realization of DEMO as well. The missions of the Satellite Tokamak are, on large tokamak size plasmas: - To support ITER by developing an improved understanding of physics issues, optimizing operation scenarios, testing possible future modifications and training scientists, engineers and technicians. - To pursue an integrated exploration of steady-state, high beta DEMO relevant plasma scenarios with adequate power and particle control. After the conceptual design [2] is finalized, detailed modifications are on going taking account of the manufacturing feasibility and the cost of the components.
3.2. Engineering validation and engineering design activities for the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF/EVEDA) IFMIF is an intense 14 MeV neutron source to allow testing and qualification of materials in an environment similar to that of a future fusion power plant (DEMO). The IFMIF/EVEDA project aims at producing a detailed, complete and fully integrated engineering design of IFMIF. The project comprises the following activities: - The engineering design of the IFMIF facility, safety assessment for a generic site and preparation of the technical specifications for the longest delivery components for the construction in future. - The design and construction of the low energy section of one of the two IFMIF accelerators, including the first cavity of the Drift Tube Linac. Tests with full power beam will be conducted to demonstrate the feasibility and availability of the accelerator. - The design, construction and tests of a scale 1:3 model of the Target Facility. This should include design and tests of its remote handling. - The design, construction and tests of mock-ups of the Test Facility (high flux volume and medium flux volume), including irradiation of the test set-up to relevant irradiation dose values to check performance under real operating conditions. The IFMIF facility is characterized by its continuous operation at a high beam current. Each one of the two IFMIF accelerators has to produce 125 mA, 40 MeV Deuterium ion beam, continuous duty. This average beam current is more than two orders of magnitude higher than in the existing high energy accelerators, and requires well coordinated R&D to develop the accelerator technology and an efficient target technology.
Fig. 2. Bird eye view of Rokkasho site under construction.
124
T. Tsunematsu / Fusion Engineering and Design 84 (2009) 122–124
3.3. International Fusion Energy Research Centre (IFERC) In order to contribute to the ITER project and to promote a possible early realization of DEMO, the International Fusion Energy Research Centre (IFERC) is planned to perform the following three research and development tasks; DEMO Design and R&D Coordination Centre, Fusion Computer Simulation Centre and Remote Experimentation Centre. The DEMO Design and R&D Coordination Centre will play an important role in coordinating scientific and technological activities necessary to produce the DEMO power reactor design including design activities and technology R&D on key and long-term issues of common interest. The expected results will include the conceptual design of DEMO, in which the outcome from R&D activities is reflected. The mission of the Fusion Computer Simulation Centre is to install and to operate a supercomputer for the simulation and modeling of ITER, of JT-60SA and other fusion experiments, and for the design of future fusion power plants as well as material research and research on possible improvement of power plant concepts, in particular for DEMO. The Remote Experimentation Center (REC) will be developed as a remote facility for experimental campaigns preparation and data analysis for ITER. The REC could be able in future to monitor the ITER plant status, prepare and transfer pulse parameter files to CODAC, presenting the main machine and plasma parameters in real time, and accessing promptly the experimental data for further analysis at REC. The REC will be tested on JT-60SA, and possibly on other tokamak prior to its application to ITER. Testing of REC on other machines may also be decided by the Parties. The objectives of REC are: - To demonstrate the functionality of a Remote Experimentation Centre on JT-60SA before actual use for ITER experimentation. - To develop a Tokamak Simulator for burning plasma research in conjunction with the Fusion Computer Simulation Centre. This activity is also useful in the preparation of ITER Operation. These three research and development tasks of IFERC are linked to each other. The Fusion Computational Simulation task, intimately linked to the ITER Remote Experimentation task, includes analysis and/or prediction of burning plasmas of ITER and of JT-60SA, and also supports design and tests of reactor technology systems.
personnel resources are included. The major part of the project is provided by in-kind contributions from EU and Japan. The core teams for each project consist of about 10 people who are from EU and Japan. The role of project teams is to supervise the project and to control the documentations. The detailed design, manufacturing and installation of the facilities are included in the in-kind contributions in EU and Japan. The construction activity of Satellite Tokamak is now underway the design phase which will require seven and a half years in Naka. Based on the executive summary of the Concept Design Report (CDR) of JT-60SA in June 2007, an integrated project team among Japan and Europe is preparing the Integrated Design Report (IDR) to finalize the functional specifications of components by the end of 2008. The initial procurement has started for the conductors of the magnets. IFMIF/EVEDA project was launched on 1 June 2007. IFMIF/EVEDA project team started working in Rokkasho in July 2007. They developed an overall project schedule aiming the first draft completion date for the IFMIF system engineering set in June 2012 and final completion of the IFMIF/EVEDA project in June 2013. The IFMIF/EVEDA Building at Rokkasho for testing prototype accelerator had been successfully designed under the collaboration between JAEA and EU-IA by January 2008, and the construction has started together with other facilities (Fig. 2). At IFERC project, workshops were held to establish the design basis of DEMO and to define long-term R&D issues. After three years, the results of workshops are expected to converge into joint work of DEMO design. The main activities for the Computer Simulation Center and Remote Experimentation Center are envisaged to be conducted during the second half of the period. A special working group was established for selecting a state of art computer and benchmark codes from the view on future simulation activities in fusion. While the Broader Approach activity was started under Japan and Europe collaboration, both Parties invited the participant Parties in the ITER Project to join the Broader Approach activity. Acknowledgements The authors acknowledge the Project Leaders of three projects, Drs. S. Ishida for JT-60SA, P. Garin for IFMIF/EVEDA, and M. Araki for IFERC projects. They also acknowledge the staff at JAEA and Fusion for Energy for their coordinated collaboration in the implementation of the Broader Approach Project. References
4. Schedule and status of the Broader Approach activity The overall schedule of the BA activities during the 10 years duration of the Agreement is shown in Fig. 1. The evaluated resources in May 2005 are 339 M Euro from EU and 46B yen from Japan. The
[1] Y. Okumura, R. Andreani, Broader Approach to fusion power, in: 8th International Symposium on Fusion Nuclear Technology (ISFNT-8), Heidelberg, Germany, September–October, 2007, p. P1-0004. [2] N. Hosogane, Super Conducting Tokamak JT-60SA Project for ITER and DEMO Reactors, Fusion Science Technology 52 (2007) 37.