Tritium Fuel Cycle Technology Readiness Assessment for the DEMO-FNS Reactor. Part 2

Abstract

DEMO-FNS is a 40 MW tokamak-based hybrid (fusion–fission) facility being designed in Russia. To date, the architecture of the tritium fuel cycle (FC) has been formed, and the requirements for the main technological systems have been determined. The parameters of the FC systems have been obtained using the FC-FNS electronic code developed by the project team. In order to create the DEMO-FNS facility, it is necessary to determine the current level of development of FC technologies to assess the possibility of their application. The article continues the analysis of readiness of FC technologies of the DEMO-FNS facility in Russia started by the authors earlier. For the analysis, the technology readiness level (TRL) methodology is used, according to which technologies in the target application area correspond to different readiness levels from TRL1 (basic principles observed and reported) to TRL9 (technology is verified by successful operation in the target application area). The following technologies are considered in the article: pellet injection, neutral beam injection, gas injection, tritium breeding in the blanket, tritium extraction from the blanket, and sorption storage of hydrogen isotopes (HIs). It is shown that in Russia there is a significant potential (TRL4) in the field of technologies necessary for tritium breeding in the DEMO-FNS blanket, but at present the work is frozen. Injection technologies, especially pellet injection, are world-class (TRL4–5). HI sorption storage technologies are highly developed (TRL5–6) and are used in complex processes with large amounts of tritium. The readiness level of the listed technologies is insufficient for application in the FC of the DEMO-FNS facility. It is necessary to increase the level of readiness within research and development programs, to create specialized stands for testing and demonstration of technologies, and to create experimental fusion facilities for testing and integration of technologies.