DISRUPTION PROBLEMATICS IN SEGMENTED-BLANKET CONCEPTS

In tokamaks, the hostile operating environment originated by plasma di sruption events requires that the first-wall/blanket/shield components sustain the large induced electromagnetic (EM) forces without signifi cant structural deformation and within allowable material stresses. As a consequence, there is a need to improve the safety features of the segmented-blanket design concepts in order to satisfy the disruption p roblematics. The present paper describes recent investigations on inte rnal blanket reinforcement systems needed in order to improve the firs t-wall/blanket/shield structural design for next-step and commercial f usion reactors. Particularly in the context of SEAFP and ITER activiti es, representative 3-D CAD models of the inboard and outboard blanket regions and the related magnetomechanical simulations are illustrated.