Recent progress in DEMO fusion core engineering: Improved segmentation, maintenance and blanket concepts

After finalization of the European Power Plant Conceptual Study [D. Maisonnier, et al., A conceptual study of commercial fusion power plants, Final Report of the European Fusion Power Plant Conceptual Study (PPCS), EFDA-RP-RE-5.0, 2005 [1]] a new European effort was started to develop an optimized power core for a He-cooled DEMO device. The candidate breeder blanket concepts considered are the HCPB (helium cooled ceramic breeder) concept, the HCLL (helium cooled lithium lead) concept and the DCLL (dual coolant) concept. One basic segmentation and maintenance configuration involving so-called ‘multi-module segments’ (MMS) was identified to be particularly promising. In this paper, an overview on the concept is given and key design features are described. In addition, the design adjustment of the HCPB blanket and some new proposals in the DCLL blanket design are briefly discussed.