Fusion Engineering and design ELSEVIER Fusion Engineering and Design 51-52(2000)11-22 www.elsevier.com/locate/fusengdes Status of the European r&d activities on Sicf Sic composites for fusion reactors B. Riccardi a,.P. Fenicib. A. Frias Rebelo b. L. giancarlicg. Le marois d E. Philippe e Associazione EURATOM-ENEA CR FRASCATI, C P.65-00044 Frascati, Rome, Italy b European Commission, JRC Ispra, Tp 202, 21020 Ispra(VA), Italy CEA Saclay, DRN/ DMT, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yuette Cedex, Franc CEA Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, F-38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, france SEP Division of SNECMA, Le Haillan-BP 37-33165 St Medard en Jalles Cedex, france Abstract Silicon carbide composites are a candidate for fusion reactors structural material because of their low activation and after heat properties and good mechanical properties at elevated temperatures. These materials, to be more suitable with their use for fusion energy production, need a strong r&D effort in order to solve some critical issues Ich as thermal conductivity and radiation stability, hermeticity, chemical compatibility with the fusion environment the capability to be formed in complex geometries, the joining process and long production time Constant progress in the fibre quality and matrix-fibre interfaces contribute to support the use of Sicr sic composites as structural material for fusion application. This paper presents an overview of the current status of the European r&d activities on SiCSic composites focussing on reactor design studies, composites manufacturing, material characterisation in particular after irradiation, chemical compatibility with different blanket environments and development of joining techniques. c 2000 Elsevier Science B V. All rights reserved Keywords: Status: European R&D activities; SIC / SIC composites; Fusion reactors 1. Introduction als(Lam) is fundamental as their use will reduce the risk related to accidents will facilitate mainte- The final goal of the Fusion Technology Pro- nance operations and will simplify decommission gramme is power generation under attractive eco- ing and waste management nomical and environmental conditions. In this Among LAMs, the SiCr Sic composites are the pursuit the use of structural low activation materi- ading candidates as structural material for fu- sion reactors due to their good mechanical prop- erties at high temperature, low chemical Corresponding author. Tel: +39-6-94005159: fax: +39. puttering, good resistance to oxidation at high 94005799 temperature(≤1000° and very low short and E-mail address: riccardia frascati. enea. it(B. Riccardi). medium term activation l] 0920-3796/00/S- see front matter c 2000 Elsevier Science B.v. All rights reserved. PI:s0920-3796(00)00311-2Fusion Engineering and Design 51–52 (2000) 11–22 Status of the European R&D activities on SiCf /SiC composites for fusion reactors B. Riccardi a,*, P. Fenici b , A. Frias Rebelo b , L. Giancarli c , G. Le Marois d , E. Philippe e a Associazione EURATOM-ENEA CR FRASCATI, C.P.65-00044 Frascati, Rome, Italy b European Commission, JRC Ispra, Tp 202, 21020 Ispra (VA), Italy c CEA Saclay, DRN/DMT, F-91191 Gif-sur-Y6ette Cedex, France d CEA Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs,F-38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France e SEP Di6ision of SNECMA, Le Haillan-BP 37-33165 St Medard en Jalles Cedex, France Abstract Silicon carbide composites are a candidate for fusion reactors structural material because of their low activation and after heat properties and good mechanical properties at elevated temperatures. These materials, to be more suitable with their use for fusion energy production, need a strong R&D effort in order to solve some critical issues such as thermal conductivity and radiation stability, hermeticity, chemical compatibility with the fusion environment, the capability to be formed in complex geometries, the joining process and long production time. Constant progress in the fibre quality and matrix–fibre interfaces contribute to support the use of SiCf /SiC composites as structural material for fusion application. This paper presents an overview of the current status of the European R&D activities on SiCf /SiC composites focussing on reactor design studies, composites manufacturing, material characterisation in particular after irradiation, chemical compatibility with different blanket environments and development of joining techniques. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Status; European R&D activities; SICf /SIC composites; Fusion reactors www.elsevier.com/locate/fusengdes 1. Introduction The final goal of the Fusion Technology Pro￾gramme is power generation under attractive eco￾nomical and environmental conditions. In this pursuit the use of structural low activation materi￾als (LAM) is fundamental as their use will reduce the risk related to accidents, will facilitate mainte￾nance operations and will simplify decommission￾ing and waste management. Among LAMs, the SiCf /SiC composites are the leading candidates as structural material for fu￾sion reactors due to their good mechanical prop￾erties at high temperature, low chemical sputtering, good resistance to oxidation at high temperature (51000°C) and very low short and medium term activation [1]. * Corresponding author. Tel.: +39-6-94005159; fax: +39- 6-94005799. E-mail address: riccardi@frascati.enea.it (B. Riccardi). 0920-3796/00/$ - see front matter © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S0920-3796(00)00311-2