One of the main objectives of the European DEMO project is to deliver net electricity, which is closely coupled with the thermal hydraulics of the breeding blanket. Within European breeding blanket (BB) project, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is leading the development of helium cooled pebble bed (HCPB) BB, which is one of the two driver-blanket candidates selected for the European DEMO. In this work, the thermal hydraulics activities supporting the design consolidation of HCPB BB for the final review of European Breeding Blanket Project of the Pre-Conceptual Design Phase (2014–2020) and the Pre-Conceptual Design Gate Review of European DEMO Project (2014–2020) are presented. The thermal assessment of full blanket segment was performed using an innovative approach, taking into account the 3D spatially variable heat fluxes (especially with peak heat fluxes) coming from plasma, to investigate and optimize the FW design and provide inputs to the structural assessment of full blanket segment. Thereafter the hydraulics behavior (mass flow distribution and pressure drop) of a full blanket segment (for the first time for a full flow path) was investigated using 3D CFD analysis. Finally, the thermal hydraulics assessment and optimization based on two typical outboard and inboard blanket unit slices are conducted by using CFD analysis. The results confirmed the soundness of the design from thermal hydraulics point of view and provided inputs for the structural assessments.
Development of thermal-hydraulic analysis methodology for multiple modules of water-cooled breeder blanket in fusion DEMO reactor