Seismic analysis of the ITER blanket remote handling system

Noguchi, Yuto; Maruyama, Takahito; Takeda, Nobukazu; Kakudate, Satoshi

Proceedings of 23rd International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-23) (DVD-ROM), 9 Pages, 2015/05

This paper reports the seismic analysis of the ITER Blanket RH system (BRHS) during blanket module handling operation. Since the BRHS, which is composed of the articulated rail and the vehicle manipulator, which travels on the rail deployed in the vacuum vessel in the toroidal direction, has various configurations and the rail system has flexibility, evaluation of dynamic response of the system is of essential importance. Via parameter sensitivity study on position and posture of the vehicle manipulator, the most unfavorable configuration for each component of the BRHS has been specified by the modal and spectrum analyses with the global BRHS FE model. Then using the quasi-static equivalent loads on the individual components obtained by the global BRHS seismic analysis, the structural verifications of the structural members of the BRHS have been carried out with detailed partial FE models. The system seismic resistance of the BRHS to a safe shutdown earthquake was confirmed.

Preliminary assessment for dust contamination of ITER in-vessel transporter

Saito, Makiko; Ueno, Kenichi; Maruyama, Takahito; Murakami, Shin; Takeda, Nobukazu; Kakudate, Satoshi; Nakahira, Masataka*; Tesini, A.*

Fusion Engineering and Design, 89(9-10), p.2352 - 2356, 2014/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2014.02.023

After plasma operation of the ITER reactor, irradiated radioactive dust will accumulate in the vacuum vessel (VV). The In Vessel Transporter (IVT) will be installed in the VV and remove the blanket modules for maintenance. The IVT will be carried back to the Hot Cell Facilities (HCF) after exchanging the blanket, and the IVT itself also needs maintenance. It is considered that the maintenance workers will be exposed to the irradiated radioactive dust attached to the IVT surface. In this study, dust contamination of the IVT is evaluated to assess exposure during maintenance work in the HCF. The IVT contamination scenario is assumed in the ITER project. From plasma shut down until maintenance is performed on the IVT will take 345 days under the ITER project assumption. Under this scenario, the effective dose rate from irradiated radioactive dust was calculated as an infinite plate for each nuclide. As a result, W-181 and Ta-182 were the dominant nuclides for the effective dose rate. If all dust is W-181 or Ta-182, the effective dose rate is about 400 Sv/h and 100 Sv/h respectively. Nevertheless, using the dose limit determined by the ITER project and the estimated maximum maintenance time, the effective dose rate limit was calculated to be 4.18 Sv/h under these limited conditions. To satisfy the dose rate limit, decontamination processes were assumed and the dose rate after decontamination was evaluated.

Dust removal experiments for ITER blanket remote handling system

Ueno, Kenichi; Aburadani, Atsushi; Saito, Makiko; Maruyama, Takahito; Takeda, Nobukazu; Murakami, Shin; Kakudate, Satoshi

Plasma and Fusion Research (Internet), 9, p.1405012_1 - 1405012_4, 2014/02

https://doi.org/10.1585/pfr.9.1405012

Performance evaluation on force control for ITER blanket installation

Aburadani, Atsushi; Takeda, Nobukazu; Shigematsu, Soichiro; Murakami, Shin; Tanigawa, Hisashi; Kakudate, Satoshi; Nakahira, Masataka*; Hamilton, D.*; Tesini, A.*

Fusion Engineering and Design, 88(9-10), p.1978 - 1981, 2013/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2013.02.093

no abstracts in English

Comparative study of laser and TIG weldings for application to ITER blanket hydraulic connection

Tanigawa, Hisashi; Aburadani, Atsushi; Shigematsu, Soichiro; Takeda, Nobukazu; Kakudate, Satoshi; Mori, Seiji*; Jokinen, T.*; Merola, M.*

Fusion Engineering and Design, 87(7-8), p.999 - 1003, 2012/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2012.02.055

This paper presents results of R&D activities where the laser and TIG welding tools were developed to apply the blanket hydraulic connection. The target pipe is 48.26 mm in outer diameter and 2.77 mm-thick. A single path welding without filler materials is required to reduce the weld heat input related to re-weldability. For the laser welding, the focal spot diameter was expanded to increase allowable misalignment. The TIG welding tool was equipped with AVC (Arc Voltage Control) to avoid a torch sticking and to enlarge allowable misalignment. For each tool, the welding conditions were optimized for all position welding to horizontally located pipes. Obtained parameters such as the weld heat input, allowable misalignment, lifetime of the tools and amount of sputter and fume, were comparatively assessed.

R&D on major components of control system for ITER blanket maintenance equipment

Takeda, Nobukazu; Kakudate, Satoshi; Matsumoto, Yasuhiro; Kozaka, Hiroshi; Aburadani, Atsushi; Negishi, Yusuke; Nakahira, Masataka*; Tesini, A.*

Fusion Engineering and Design, 85(7-9), p.1190 - 1195, 2010/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2010.02.037

Several R&Ds for the ITER blanket remote handling system had been performed from the Engineering Design Activity phase until now and only several technical issues regarding the control system remained such as noise caused by slip ring, control of cable handling system, signal transmission through very long cable and radiation-hard amplifier. This study concentrates on these issues. As a conclusion, major issues for the control system have been solved and the ITER blanket remote handling system becomes further feasible.

Mock-up test on key components of ITER blanket remote handling system

Takeda, Nobukazu; Kakudate, Satoshi; Nakahira, Masataka; Matsumoto, Yasuhiro; Taguchi, Ko; Kozaka, Hiroshi; Shibanuma, Kiyoshi; Tesini, A.*

Fusion Engineering and Design, 84(7-11), p.1813 - 1817, 2009/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2009.02.009

The maintenance operation of the ITER in-vessel component, such as a blanket and divertor, must be executed by the remote equipment because of the high -ray environment. During the Engineering Design Activity (EDA), the Japan Atomic Energy Agency had been fabricated the prototype of the vehicle manipulator system for the blanket remote handling and confirmed feasibility of this system including automatic positioning of the blanket and rail deployment procedure of the articulated rail. The JAEA is continuing several R&Ds so that the system can be procured smoothly to ITER. The residual key issues after the EDA are rail connection, cable handling and in-situ replacement of first wall. The last issue is newly raised and currently under the discussion. This presentation concentrates on the former two issues.

Development of a virtual reality simulator for the ITER blanket remote handling system

Takeda, Nobukazu; Kakudate, Satoshi; Nakahira, Masataka; Shibanuma, Kiyoshi; Tesini, A.*

Fusion Engineering and Design, 83(10-12), p.1837 - 1840, 2008/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2008.05.042

The maintenance activity in the ITER has to be performed remotely because 14 MeV neutron caused by fusion reaction induces activation of structural material and emission of ray. In general, it is one of the most critical issues to avoid collision between the remote maintenance system and in-vessel components. Therefore, the visual information in the vacuum vessel is required strongly to understand arrangement of these devices and components. However, there is a limitation of arrangement of viewing cameras in the vessel because of high intensity of ray. Furthermore, visibility of the interested area such as the contacting part is frequently disturbed by the devices and components, thus it is difficult to recognize relative position between the devices and components only by visual information even if enough cameras and lights are equipped. From these reasons, the simulator to recognize the positions of each devices and components is indispensable for remote handling systems in fusion reactors. The authors have been developed a simulator for the remote maintenance system of the ITER blanket using a general 3D robot simulation software "ENVISION". The simulator is connected to the control system of the manipulator which was developed as a part of the blanket maintenance system in the EDA and can reconstruct the positions of the manipulator and the blanket module using the position data of the motors through the LAN. In addition, it can provide virtual visual information, such as the connecting operation behind the blanket module with making the module transparent on the screen. It can be used also for checking the maintenance sequence before the actual operation.

Current status of research and development on remote maintenance for fusion components

Takeda, Nobukazu; Kakudate, Satoshi; Nakahira, Masataka; Shibanuma, Kiyoshi

Purazuma, Kaku Yugo Gakkai-Shi, 84(2), p.100 - 107, 2008/02

http://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/110006835271

After the maintenance operation campaign at JET in 1998, which was the first fully remote handling operations on a fusion Tokamak, the remote maintenance of the in-vessel components is getting important more and more. For the fusion power plant, in particular, it is one of most important factors which affect on economics of the plant. Also for the ITER, currently under construction, the maintenance for the blanket and divertor in the vacuum vessel is planned to be operated by the remote equipment. In order to realize this, many designs and element tests were have been performed. This paper describes about the current situation of the research and development on the remote maintenance for fusion components, referring mainly the ITER remote maintenance system an example.

Demonstration tests for manufacturing the ITER vacuum vessel

Shimizu, Katsusuke*; Onozuka, Masanori*; Usui, Yukinori*; Urata, Kazuhiro*; Tsujita, Yoshihiro*; Nakahira, Masataka; Takeda, Nobukazu; Kakudate, Satoshi; Omori, Junji; Shibanuma, Kiyoshi

Fusion Engineering and Design, 82(15-24), p.2081 - 2088, 2007/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2007.08.015

To confirm the manufacturing and assembly process of the ITER vacuum vessel (VV), a series of related tests has been conducted. (1) Using a full-scale partial mock-up, fabrication methods are to be examined to determine feasibility. (2) To simulate a series of field-joint assembly operations, a test stand was built. (3) To provide an appropriate shield gas supply on the back side of the outer shell during field-joint welding, three types of back-seal structures have been tested. (4) The applicability of UT methods for volumetric inspection has been investigated. (5) Applicability of Liquid Penetrant Testing as a surface examination for the VV interior surface (i.e. ultra-vacuum side) has been investigated.