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UKAEAH3AT – Tritium Advanced Technology

Fusion TechnologyStephen Wheeler - Director of Fusion Technology

March 2021

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Tritium & the Fusion Power Plant

Safety

Tritium & HTO safety and toxicity,

Reducing tritium inventories and source

terms, Application of ALARP/ALARA

Supply Tritium Sources

Breeding

ConfinementTritium Permeation, Radiolysis,

Helium production, Effect on

materials and components

Fuel CycleTritium processing and purification, Isotopic

separation, Trace tritium recovery, Storage and

transportation, Pumping and vacuum systems,

Injection of fuel into hot plasmas

Knowledge SharingCollaborations with National Labs,

Academia and UK Industry

Waste Management

Detritiation,

Waste minimization,

Recycling technologies

AccountancyControl,

Accountancy,

Licensing, Duel use

Decommissioning

Safe, Fast, Low cost

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H3AT – A unique tritium research facility for the UK

• Process pilot plant demonstrating the ITER fuel cycle at 1/20th

scale.

• A fusion relevant 100g tritium inventory.

• A closed loop system allowing testing and validation

• Facility for hosting tritium research, with individual experiments

up to 10s of grammes of tritium, with collaborative and

commercial access

• Development of new tritium analytical techniques

• Exploration of the fundamental science of tritium interactions

• Skills development, including classrooms and training facilities

• Development and testing of novel detritiation techniques

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• Isotope Separation System (ISS)

• Storage and Distribution (SDS)

• Torus Vacuum Simulation (TVS)

• Hydrogen Purification System (HPS)

• Atmospheric Detritiation System (ADS)

• Analytical System (ANS)

• Radiological Gas Monitoring System (RGM)

• Water Detritiation System (WDS)

H3AT Facility Sub Systems

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2021

ISOTOPE SEPARATION SYSTEMFind a Tender / Innovation Partnership

Multiple Tenders for Long Lead Time Developmental ItemsFind a Tender / Contracts Finder

• Pumps

• Permeators

• Molecular sieves

• Recombiners

• Electrolysers

• Micro Gas Chromatographs

• Laser Raman analysers

Multiple Tenders for Long Lead Time Standard EquipmentFind a Tender / Contracts Finder

• Heat exchangers

• Heaters

• Pressure and vacuum vessels

Tender for Skids D&BFind a Tender

COTS FrameworkFind a Tender

• Valves

• In-line strainers

• Instruments

• Pumps

• Vessels

H3AT - Procurement Timeline

2022

JAN APR JUL OCT JAN

PIN

ITT

PIN

ITT

PIN

ITT

PIN

ITT

PIN

ITT

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• Fusion fuel cycle design

• DEMO pre-conceptual design

• STEP

• Materials experiments

• Anti-permeation coatings• First wall tritium retention• Isotope separation• Tritium in materials modelling

• ITER support

• Design of tritium breeding module accountancy system

• Coolant processing and activated corrosion products• Palladium membrane reactor support

• Engineering studies

• Tritium compatible components

• Tritium Analytics• Process control• Safety• Inventory

Tritium Innovation – Current Activities

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1. Materials Detritiation Facility

• Reducing waste classification to

reduce cost and burden on UK

radioactive waste disposal sites

2. Tritium Analysis Lab’s

• Characterising fusion waste and

providing data to validate new

treatment techniques

3. Plastic Fabrication Workshop

• Developing and commercialising

novel tritium and alpha

containment solutions

4. Beryllium Handling Facility

• Supporting JET but akin to ITER

Hot Cell

Waste Innovation UnitWIU’s world leading facilities providing research and support to national and

international fusion and fission

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Applied Radiation Technology

Power Plant Technology

Special Techniques Group

Applied Materials Technology

Manufacturing Technology and Qualification

Engineering Realisation

Technical Consultancy

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Combined Loads Testing Facility

Component Size 1.7m x 0.5m x 0.7m

Testing

EnvironmentVacuum or inert gas

Water Cooling 200°C, 15 bar – 385°C, 155 bar

Surface Heating 0.5 MW/m2 over 1m2

Simulated

Volume HeatingUp to 100 kW

Static Magnetic

Field4 Tesla

Magnetic

ImpulsedB/dT ~12 T/s

Static Magnet

Split pair LHe superconducting

magnets

with NbTi conductor

Pulsed Magnet Water cooled copper conductor

CHIMERA

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Q1 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1Q4…

…

Building Handover

Furnished

Magnet

Delivery

Q2

2021 20222020

Commencing installation

of CHIMERA CHIMERA Operational

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SmalLab-Fluids

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Small-scale testing of isolated single-phase water flow

phenomenaMajor Procurement Items

Purpose Configuration

Timeframe

• To provide high resolution experimental data for

V&V of state-of-the-art thermal hydraulics codes

and turbulence models

• To develop capability in experimental

design and diagnostics operation

• Basic flow loop supplying classical thermal

hydraulic test pieces plus additional geometrical

complexity e.g. turbulence enhancers

Example: Vertical 2D slot, heated by

∆𝑇 at the left boundary with increasing

turbulence. Requires transparent flow

slot with high optical access

Pipework, pumps, valves etc.

Test pieces

Velocimetry system

Flow, temperature, pressure controllers

Heating and cooling units

May

2021July

2021

October

2021Present

Design ProcureInstall/ Commission Operate

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SmalLab

Small-scale testing of isolated single-phase

water flow phenomena

Atmospheric conditions; high resolution diagnostic

capability

Large-scale single and multi-phase water flows

Prototypical reactor conditions; LWR

phenomena including conjugate heat transfer,

flow-induced vibration, and natural convection

CHIMERA

Component-scale single phase water flows

Prototypical reactor conditions; Combined fusion loads, including

electromagnetic effects;

Thermal Hydraulic Facilities at UKAEA Yorkshire

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SmalLab

Small-scale testing of isolated

single-phase water flow

phenomena

Large-scale single and multi-phase

water flows

CHIMERA

Component-scale single phase water flows

Typical Facility Parameters

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* P, T & flow

parameters for

water conditions

only

Coolant(s) Water Water Water [+ LiPb tba]

Power Input ~1 kW 250 kW 600 kW

Pressure Atm. 15.5 MPa 15.5 MPa

Temperature < 50 °C 328 °C 328 °C

Flow Rate < 0.1 kg/s 3.5 kg/s 10.8 kg/s

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Large-scale single and multi-

phase water flows

Proposed future facility

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Purpose Configuration

Timeframe – tbc

• To provide high-resolution data to enhance

understanding of key thermal hydraulic phenomena

relevant to LWR reactor conditions

• To use this understanding to reduce the

reliance on penalising safety margins in

modern reactor design

• Vertical power channel of ~3x3 rod bundle diameter with

optical access for PIV system

Detailed engineering design

Bespoke power channel test piece

High-pressure pipework, pumps, valves etc.

Velocimetry system and other diagnostics

Flow, temperature, pressure controllers

Heating and cooling units, power supplies

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Major Procurement Items

• Alternative ambient pressure loop for

teaching and demonstration

• Secondary cooling and control loops

• Closed high pressure loop with elevated cooler for

natural circulation driven flows

202x

Design ProcureInstall/ Commission Operate

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Cryostat

Procurements

Cryo-cooling plant Spring / Summer 2021

Superconducting Magnet Spring / Summer 2021

Cryo-test chamber Autumn 2021

Installation contract 2022

Prototype component procurement 2022

Cryostat / Magnet Joint Test Facility

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CryoplantData Acquisition

EquipControl System

Magnet Power Supply

Superconducting Magnet

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Thank you