Development of manufacturing technology for the full-size WCCB module

• Published in: Fusion engineering and design Vol. 200; p. 114205
• Main Authors: Wang, Wan-Jing, Mu, Xianghong, Qin, Sigui, Li, Qiang, Du, Pei-Song, Wang, Ji-Chao, Shen, Xu, Liu, Songlin, Zhou, Haishan, Luo, Guang-Nan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2024
• Subjects: Electron-beam welding (EBW); First Wall; Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP); WCCB; Electron-beam welding (EBW); WCCB; Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP); First Wall
• ISSN: 0920-3796; 1873-7196
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2024.114205

•In this paper, the development of the manufacturing technology for the full-size WCCB blanket module is presented first time.•The manufacturing issues and the R&D activities for the larger-scale sub-components, such as first-wall, the double-wall tubes and the manifold, were summarized.•The assembly welding process of WCCB modules was proposed, and some welding technology issues for the full-size module were solved.•Finally, the first full-size WCCB module was manufactured in ASIPP. The Water-Cooled Ceramic Breeder (WCCB) blanket is the key component of CFETR for achieving tritium self-sufficiency. Considering multiple functions such as tritium generation, heat extraction and neutron shielding, the WCCB component is designed as a complex modular structure. Thus, we face a series of manufacturing technology issues, including the material choice, the bonding of similar/dissimilar materials, the machining and fabrication of larger-scale sub-components with cooling channels and the assembling of these sub-components. In the previous work, the bonding technology for W/Steel and Steel/Steel has been researched and developed at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP). On this basis, the manufacturing technology of the full-size WCCB blanket module is further developed. Initially, we summarized the manufacturing issues for the larger-scale sub-components, such as the First Wall (FW), the double-wall tubes (DWT) and the manifold. Subsequently, the R&D activities for the machining and manufacturing of these sub-components have been carried out. In the following, the assembly welding process of the WCCB modules was proposed, and the related technology issues for the full-size module were solved. Finally, the first full-size WCCB module was successfully manufactured in ASIPP. These research activities and developments have laid a foundation for the construction of CFETR.