Status and progress of Indian LLCB test blanket systems for ITER

The lead–lithium ceramic breeder (LLCB) TBM and its auxiliary systems are being developed by India for testing in ITER machine. The LLCB TBM consists of lithium titanate as ceramic breeder (CB) material in the form of packed pebble beds. The FW structural material is ferritic martensitic steel cooled by high-pressure helium gas and lead–lithium eutectic (Pb–Li) flowing separately around the ceramic breeder pebble bed to extract the nuclear heat from the CB zones. Low-pressure helium is purged inside the CB zone for in situ extraction of bred tritium. Currently the LLCB blanket design optimization is under progress. The performance of tritium breeding and high-grade heat extraction is being evaluated by neutronic analysis and thermal–hydraulic calculations for different LLCB cooling configurations and geometrical design variants. The LLCB TBM auxiliary systems such as, helium cooling system (HCS), lead–lithium cooling system (LLCS), tritium extraction system (TES) process design are under progress. Safety analysis of the LLCB test blanket system (TBS) is under progress for the contribution to preliminary safety report of ITER-TBMs. This paper will present the status of the LLCB TBM design, process integration design (PID) of the auxiliary systems and preliminary safety analysis results.

► The performance of tritium breeding and high-grade heat extraction for LLCB TBM has been evaluated by neutronic analysis and thermal–hydraulic calculations for different internal geometrical design variants.
► The optimum dimensions of CB zones and Pb–Li flow has been selected to have the maximum temperatures of all components used are lies within their respective temperature window.
► The LLCB TBM auxiliary systems such as, helium cooling system (HCS), lead–lithium cooling system (LLCS), tritium extraction system (TES) process design are under progress.
► Safety analysis of the LLCB TBS is under progress for the contribution to Preliminary Safety Report of ITER-TBMs.
► The first order safety analysis for the postulated accidents incidents demonstrate that prescribed ITER limits will be met by LLCB design.