Analysis of implementing a rail-based maintenance system into a HELIAS 5-B device

Analysis of implementing a rail-based maintenance system into a HELIAS 5-B device

Analysis of implementing a rail-based maintenance system into a HELIAS 5-B device 150 150 UKAEA Opendata
UKAEA-RACE-PR(23)07

Analysis of implementing a rail-based maintenance system into a HELIAS 5-B device

This paper reports on the analysis of potential rail-based maintenance systems when implemented into a Helical Advanced Stellarator (HELIAS) 5-B device. The main purpose of such a system would be to handle and exchange the internal vessel components, namely the breeding blanket segments, which are expected to be the largest and heaviest components within the vessel. Other rail-based maintenance systems for tokamak devices, particularly the ITER Blanket Remote Handling System (BRHS), were studied, and their suitability when introduced to the differing constraints of a HELIAS device was determined. Rail-based systems envisaged for DEMO and CFETR devices were also studied. An ITER-like handling system was shown to be unsuitable for a HELIAS device of this scale. This is due to significantly higher blanket masses with an in-vessel operating space no larger than that of ITER, but with the additional complication of longer toroidal lengths and non-uniform vessel geometry. Movement of large components on rails like those found in DEMO and CFETR was shown to be more applicable to the HELIAS device. The main obstacle to the implementation of such rails would be the non-uniform geometry which complicates the selection of a rail path that avoids collisions with other in-vessel components, remote handling equipment, or the vessel structure itself.

Collection:
Journals
Journal:
Fusion Engineering and Design
Publisher:
Elsevier
Published date:
03/06/2023