Monte Carlo analysis of helium production in the ITER shielding blanket module

In order to examine the shielding performances of the inboard blanket module in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), shielding calculations have been carried out using a three-dimensional Monte Carlo method. The impact of radiation streaming through the front access holes and gaps between adjacent blanket modules on the helium gas production in the branch pipe weld locations and back plate have been estimated. The three-dimensional model represents an 18° sector of the overall torus region and includes the vacuum vessel, inboard blanket and back plate, plasma region, and outboard reflecting medium. And it includes the 1 m high inboard mid-plane module and the 20 mm wide gaps between adjacent modules. From the calculated results for the reference design, it has been found that the helium production at the plug of the branch pipe is four to five times higher than the design goal of 1 appm for a neutron fluence of 0.9 MW a m−2 at the inboard mid-plane first wall. Also, it has been found that the helium production at the back plate behind the horizontal gap is about three times higher than the design goal. In the reference design, the stainless steel (SS):H2O composition in the blanket module is 80:20%. Shielding calculations also have been carried out for the SS:H2O composition of 70:30, 60:40, 50:50 and 40:60%. From the evaluated results for their design, it has been found that the dependence of helium production on the SS:H2O composition in the blanket module is small at the branch pipe. Altering the steel–water ratio to reduce the amount of steel and increasing the thickness by >170 mm will reduce helium production to satisfy the design goal and not have a significant impact on weight limitations imposed by remote maintenance handling limitations. Also based on the calculated results, about 200 mm thick shields such as a key structure in the vertical gap are suggested to be installed in the horizontal gap as well to reduce the helium production at the back plate and to satisfy the design goal.