Conveners - B. Nelson and T. Burgess (ORNL)

Vacuum Vessel and Remote Handling Charter

Assess the Vacuum Vessel and Remote Handling systems for candidate burning plasma devices. Assess the capability of the vacuum vessel designs with regard to normal and off normal operating conditions, design margin, safety and reliability, access for heating, diagnostic, vacuum pumping, maintenance, etc. Assess the Remote Handling system design for general feasibility, reliability, adaptability to modify and update internal systems such as divertor assemblies, PFC tiles, diagnostics, etc. after the device is activated, and predicted maintenance times for the various components. Any necessary R&D to develop the Vacuum Vessel or Remote Handling systems should be identified and justified in lieu of using conventional, proven techniques for these systems.

1. Vacuum Vessel

1. Vessel Torus
1. Structure
2. Shielding
3. Internal cooling
2. Passive and active stabilizer integration
1. Passive stabilizing plates
2. Internal control coils
3. Integration of magnetic loops
3. Ports
1. Pumping ports
2. Maintenance ports
3. Diagnostic ports
4. Heating ports
4. Vessel supports
5. Vessel assembly and maintenance
1. Assembly sequence and schedule
2. Remote maintenance
6. Performance (structural, thermal and neutronic)
1. Normal operation
2. Disruptions
3. Seismic
7. Safety
1. Design criteria basis, e.g., ASME code
2. Confinement barriers
3. Pressure suppression
8. R&D requirements

1. Remote Maintenance
1. Maintenance philosophy and maintenance times
1. In-vessel
1. Divertor
2. First wall / blanket
3. Magnetic loops, other internal diagnostics
4. Vacuum vessel assembly joints
5. Vacuum vessel ports
2. Ex-vessel
1. TF Coils
2. PF Coils
3. Primary structure
4. Cooling/cryogenic systems
5. Port mounted systems
1. Plasma heating systems
2. Port mounted diagnostics
3. Vacuum pumping systems
2. Remote handling systems
1. In-vessel systems
1. Main system (e.g. boom, vehicle, other)
2. End effectors
3. Inspection/leak checking systems
2. Ex-vessel systems
1. Main system (e.g. crane, hands-on, other
2. End effectors
3. Inspection systems
4. Handling casks
5. Hot cells / storage / refurbishing systems
3. R&D requirements and plans
1. Remote Handling systems
1. In-vessel systems
2. Ex-vessel systems
2. Mockups and prototypes
1. In-vessel components and processes
2. Ex-vessel components and processes

1. T1 — Magnets — The interface with this group will be in the areas of Coil operating currents, VV support interfaces, and magnet ramp rates (e.g. magnet quench) that could put loads on the vacuum vessel. The remote-handling interface will probably be limited to leads and cooling interfaces for most devices, but could include full replacement.
2. T2 — PFC / Heat Removal — There will be close interaction with this group since there are very detailed interfaces between the PFC/Divertor systems and both the vacuum vessel and remote handling systems. The vessel provides the structural support and must accommodate the cooling and pumping interfaces, while the remote handling systems must be able to maintain or re-configure these components.
3. T3 - Heating/Current drive - This group provides access requirements (e.g. number and size of ports), shielding requirements (how big is the hole in the VV shielding that must be compensated for), and maintenance requirements for the heating and current drive systems
4. T5 - Safety/tritium/materials - This group provides safety requirements to be used for vacuum vessel containment and/or confinement design criteria. These criteria include number and type of safety boundaries, shielding requirements, accident conditions to be considered, etc. This group also provides guidance for remote handling activities, both in-vessel and ex-vessel, for contamination control, dose rates, venting, etc.
5. T6 — Cost — This interfaces with everything
6. P1 — Wave particle interactions — No overlap / connection expected
7. P2 - Energetic particles / alpha physics — No overlap / connections expected
8. P3 — MHD — This group provides input on the requirements / effectiveness of the passive and active stabilizing systems
9. P4 — Transport - No overlap / connection expected
10. P5 — Boundary physics — No overlap / connection expected
11. E1 — Diagnostics — This group determines what the vessel must provide access and support for and what must be maintained
12. E2 — Integrated Scenarios / ignition physics / burn - This group provides the normal plasma operation and plasma disruption conditions?
13. E3 — Physics operations This group would provide advice on what systems would need to be modified / upgraded over the course of operations
14. E4 — Development path - TBD

Brad Nelson (ORNL) — (co-leader) for vacuum vessel / remote handling requirements, design integration, and liaison with FIRE design

Tom Burgess (ORNL) — (co-leader) for remote handling systems, maintenance times

Phil Heitzenroeder (PPPL) for vacuum vessel design, active control coils, passive plate integration and fabrication issues

Joe Herndon (ORNL) for remote handling

Tom Brown (PPPL) for vacuum vessel design, assembly and integration issues

Dave Williamson (ORNL) for vacuum vessel design, electromagnetics, and stress analysis

Jim Irby (MIT) for vacuum vessel pumping, heating, and diagnostic integration

Doug Loesser (PPPL) for remote maintenance and integration of PFCs

Saurin Majumdar — Design code guidance