Thermal-hydraulic analysis of a high-pressure helium-cooled shield/blanket for ITER

Abstract

A helium-cooled blanket/shield for ITER is presented that can provide high-grade heat and tritium self-sufficiency. It consists of narrow and relatively simple canisters filled with static liquid metal which is cooled by high pressure helium flowing through small double-walled tubes immersed in the liquid metal. The gaps between the tubes are also filled with static liquid metal. There are therefore three barriers between high-pressure helium and vacuum. Thermal-hydraulic analyses are presented that show the concept to be viable with both ferritic steel and vanadium alloy and with lithium and NaK liquid metal.