DEMO relevance of the test blanket modules in ITER—Application to the European test blanket modules

Test blanket module (TBM) testing programme in ITER as a support to DEMO design is a very important step on the road map to commercial fusion reactors although it is an ambitious task. Finding as much as possible DEMO relevant tests in view of the future DEMO blanket design is therefore a major goal since ITER and DEMO environment and loading conditions are different. To clarify and quantify the meaning of the DEMO relevance, criteria using a structural, functional and behavioural representation of the breeding blanket acting as a system are investigated. Then, a three-step strategy is proposed to carry out TBM DEMO relevant tests associated with a TBM design modification strategy. Key parameters should intensively be used as target for TBM characterization and numerical code validation. When assessing the relevance, on the other hand, not only the actual difference between DEMO and ITER values should be considered, but also whether the analyzed phenomena have a threshold and a range of applicability, as numerical simulations are usually permitted within these limits. The proposed methodology is at the end applied to the design of the HCLL TBM breeding unit configuration.