312 L Giancarli et al. Fusion Engineering and Design 61-62(2002)307-318 heat results were used to perform 2D safety Pb-17Li acts as coolant, breeder, neutron multi nalyses of the power core, which showed that plier, and tritium carrier. Each inboard and out the low decay heat of SiC enables accommoda- board segment is poloidally divided into several tion of any LOCA or LOFA scenarios without straight modules attached on one common thick serious consequences to the blanket structure back plate but cooled independently. The coolant enters from a backside collector and flows in parallel into five channels for cooling five corre 3. 1. 4. Fabrication and maintenance sponding sub-modules as shown in Fig 3. In each As a reliability measure, minimization of the sub-modules the Pb-17Li flows first through a number an nd length of brazes was a major factor in thin channel at high velocity for cooling the Fw evolving the fabrication procedure for the blanket. and then slows down for cooling in series the rest The proposed fabrication scheme requires three- of the box radial/toroidal coolant-containment brazes per In the latest reference design [2], whose design module, as illustrated by the following fabrication point is summarized in Table 2, the Pb-17Li outlet steps for an outboard segment consisting of 6 temperature is 950"C which leads to an estimated efficiency of approximately 55% for a compression ratio of about 1.77 1) Manufacturing separate halves of the SiCHSiC poloidal module by SiCr weaving and Sic chemical vapor infiltration(Cvi) or polymer 3.2.2. Assumed boundary conditions The blanket design optimization and structural 2)Inserting the free-floating inner separation assessment of the tauro blanket were per all in each half module 3) Brazing the two half modules together at the Pb 4) Brazing the module end cap 5)Forming a segment by brazing six modules together (this is a joint which is not in contact with the coolant); and 6) Brazing the annular manifold connections to one end of the segment Note that if handling size is an issue the fabrication steps could also proceed with smaller poloidal units but with additional joining steps Maintenance methods have been investigated which allow for end-of-life replacement of indivi- dual components. These are discussed in Ref [ll] 3.2 TAURO Blanket 3.2.1. Blanket description The tauRo blanket offers the capability of heat extraction at high coolant temperatures and promises favorable conversion efficiencies. The TAURO blanket is essentially formed by a SiCp Sic stiffened box with an indirectly cooled F which acts as a container for the pb-17Li. The Fig 3. TAURO outboard blanket module.heat results were used to perform 2D safety analyses of the power core, which showed that the low decay heat of SiC enables accommoda￾tion of any LOCA or LOFA scenarios without serious consequences to the blanket structure [10]. 3.1.4. Fabrication and maintenance As a reliability measure, minimization of the number and length of brazes was a major factor in evolving the fabrication procedure for the blanket. The proposed fabrication scheme requires three￾radial/toroidal coolant-containment brazes per module, as illustrated by the following fabrication steps for an outboard segment consisting of 6 modules: 1) Manufacturing separate halves of the SiCf/SiC poloidal module by SiCf weaving and SiC chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) or polymer process; 2) Inserting the free-floating inner separation wall in each half module; 3) Brazing the two half modules together at the midplane; 4) Brazing the module end cap; 5) Forming a segment by brazing six modules together (this is a joint which is not in contact with the coolant); and 6) Brazing the annular manifold connections to one end of the segment. Note that if handling size is an issue, the fabrication steps could also proceed with smaller poloidal units but with additional joining steps. Maintenance methods have been investigated which allow for end-of-life replacement of indivi￾dual components. These are discussed in Ref. [11]. 3.2. TAURO Blanket 3.2.1. Blanket description The TAURO blanket offers the capability of heat extraction at high coolant temperatures and promises favorable conversion efficiencies. The TAURO blanket is essentially formed by a SiCf/ SiC stiffened box with an indirectly cooled FW which acts as a container for the Pb/17Li. The Pb/17Li acts as coolant, breeder, neutron multi￾plier, and tritium carrier. Each inboard and out￾board segment is poloidally divided into several straight modules attached on one common thick back plate but cooled independently. The coolant enters from a backside collector and flows in parallel into five channels for cooling five corre￾sponding sub-modules as shown in Fig. 3. In each sub-modules the Pb/17Li flows first through a thin channel at high velocity for cooling the FW and then slows down for cooling in series the rest of the box. In the latest reference design [2], whose design point is summarized in Table 2, the Pb/17Li outlet temperature is 950 8C which leads to an estimated efficiency of approximately 55% for a compression ratio of about 1.77. 3.2.2. Assumed boundary conditions The blanket design optimization and structural assessment of the TAURO blanket were per￾Fig. 3. TAURO outboard blanket module. 312 L. Giancarli et al. / Fusion Engineering and Design 61/62 (2002) 307/318