Engineering design of the ITER blanket and relevant research and development results

The design of the ITER blanket is presented together with the related techn ology which has been developed. The evolution of this component since the b eginning of the EDA is explained in relation to the developing understandin g of the thermal deformations and of the electromagnetic forces. These load s lead to a system composed of compact modules protecting a continuous supp ort shell called a backplate. The backplate is a stiff double wall construc tion which conveys the coolant to the modules. The supports of the module a re flexible and allow relative thermal expansions. They are connected and d isconnected to the backplate by bolts operated through holes in the front f ace of the module. The coolant connections and the electrical straps locate d on the back of the modules are reached similarly. The first wall is integ ral with the module and cooled in series. A research and development progra m on materials and joining methods defined the construction path which has been tested in prototypes. The main body is built of stainless steel by for ging and drilling or powder hot isostatic pressing (HIP), depending on the complexity of the shape. The first wall includes a dispersion strengthened copper heat sink which is hot isostatic pressed onto the steel body. Beryll ium is the basic plasma facing material and is attached by HIP to the coppe r. Prototypes of the module attachment have been built and are under integr ated tests. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.