Resolving safety issues for a demonstration fusion power plant

•Potential safety issues for a demonstration fusion power plant (DEMO) have been listed.•All issues are being addressed in safety studies for a European DEMO.•In-vessel tritium and dust inventories in DEMO may be lower than in ITER. The conceptual design studies for a European DEMO, include safety s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Fusion engineering and design 2017-11, Vol.124, p.1177-1180
Main Authors: Taylor, Neill, Ciattaglia, Sergio, Boyer, Helen, Coombs, Dave, Jin, Xue Zhou, Liger, Karine, Mora, Juan Carlos, Mazzini, Guido, Pinna, Tonio, Urbonavičius, Egidijus
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
DEMO
Environment
Fusion
Licensing
Nuclear engineering
Nuclear power plants
Nuclear safety
Power plants
Radiation effects
Radioactive wastes
Safety
Tritium
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Summary:•Potential safety issues for a demonstration fusion power plant (DEMO) have been listed.•All issues are being addressed in safety studies for a European DEMO.•In-vessel tritium and dust inventories in DEMO may be lower than in ITER. The conceptual design studies for a European DEMO, include safety studies and analyses, to help guide the design process and start preparation for eventual licensing. A safety approach has been adopted that is expected to satisfy a nuclear regulator, but at this early stage it is difficult to anticipate the safety concerns that may be raised. Potential safety issues for DEMO that have been listed by a regulatory technical body include decay heat removal following an accidental loss of cooling or during blanket module replacement, the minimization of occupational radiation exposure, the comprehensive identification of postulated accident scenarios, the environmental release of gaseous tritium during normal operation, and the management of radioactive waste, particularly where contaminated with tritium. Here we explain how these issues are being addressed in the safety programme for a EU DEMO, and are taken into account in the design from the beginning of its conception.
ISSN:0920-3796
1873-7196
DOI:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2017.02.018