22D08
Completion of IFMIF/EVEDA Li Test Loop construction and commissioning
IFMIF/EVEDAリチウム試験ループの完成
Hiroo Kondo, Tomohiro Furukawa, Yasushi Hirakawa, Hiroshi Iuchi, Takuji Kanemura et al.
近藤浩夫1，古川智弘1，平川 康1，井内 宏志1，金村卓治1，井田瑞穂1，渡辺一慶1，
堀池 寛2，山岡信夫2，松下 出3，中村和幸1，若井栄一1
1

Japan Atomic Energy Agency
Narita cho 4002, Oarai, Ibaraki 311-1393, Japan
日本原子力研究開発機構 〒311-1393 茨城県東茨城郡大洗町成田町4002番地
2
Osaka University
3
Mistubishi Heavy Industries Mechatronics systems, Ltd.
The EVEDA Li test loop (ELTL) successfully completed its construction and commissioning in theIFMIF/EVEDA project as one of the ITER-BA. Design for the ELTL had been done from Mar. 2009 to Dec.
2009 in large part, and then the construction was started on Nov. 2009 in the O-arai site of the Japan
Atomic Energy Agency and completed on the middle of Nov. 2010. In the commissioning conducted
subsequently, the following tests were performed: 1) Li ingots installation into the ELTL, 2) Li charging
and draining operation, 3) Li circulation tests. In a final phase of the circulation test, stable liquid Li flow ata velocity of 5 m/s was successfully achieved.

1. Introduction
The International Fusion Materials Irradiation
Facility (IFMIF) is aimed at producing an intensehigh energy neutron flux generated by a deuteron(D+) - lithium (Li) nuclear reaction. In the current
concept of the IFMIF, two 40 MeV D+ beams
whose total current is 250 mA are injected into abeam target called Li target which is a liquid Li
stream flowing at a nominal speed of 15 m/s(operation range: 10-20 m/s).
Engineering Validation and Engineering
Design Activities (EVEDA) for the IFMIF is
being in progress under the Broader Approach
Activities (BA). In the EVEDA, as a major
activity of R&Ds on the IFMIF Li target facility [1],the EVEDA Li test loop (ELTL) simulated theactual IFMIF Li target facility was constructed
and is scheduled to operate for two years for thepurpose of collecting indispensable data forconstruction of the IFMIF Li target facility and ofcompleting an IFMIF engineering design. This
paper presents the design of the ELTL as well as
the construction and the commissioning
completed on March. 2011.
2. Design of the IFMIF/EVEDA Li test loop
The ELTL was designed to have major
components necessary to produce the Li target forthe design phase since Mar. 2009 to Dec. 2009. The
ELTL consists of two major Li loops which are themain loop and the purification loop, as shown in apiping and instrumentations diagram (P&ID) of theELTL in Fig. 1.

The main loop consists of the main circulation
piping, a quench tank, an electro-magnetic pump(EMP), an electro-magnetic flow meter (EMF), a
forced-air type cooler (air cooler), a dump tank andvalves. The tanks connect to Ar gas cylinders andturbo-molecular vacuum pumps to control pressureand vacuum of 10-3 Pa near a free-surface of Liflow. In the main loop, the maximum flow rate is3000 L/min to produce a Li flow whose velocity,thickness and width are up to 20 m/s, 25 mm and100 mm respectively in the target assembly (TA).
The performances with regard to the velocity andthe thickness are the same as that envisaged in theIFMIF, while the width is 1/3. In the TA placed at
the top of the platform, the Li flow is formed by adouble contraction nozzle along a concave backplate (BP) as shown in Fig. 2. The nozzle is derived
from the potential flow theory to form a stable jet
up to 20 m/s. Static pressure inside the Li target isenhanced due to centrifugal force by flowing along
the concaved BP, and therefore boiling of the Litarget by the D+ beam’s heat is not occurred inIFMIF.
The purification loop is connected to the main
loop at the upstream and downstream of the main
EMP. And the impurity monitoring loop isbranched at the downstream of the impurity traps inthe purification loop. The purification loop includesa cold trap aiming to remove mainly oxygen, andtwo mechanical interfaces to install two hot traps
aiming to remove nitrogen and hydrogen (hydrogenisotopes in IFMIF) respectively.

Fig.1. P&ID of ELTL
These two hot traps are designed and fabricated incollaboration with Japanese universities (the twotraps are not installed yet at this moment). The
impurity monitoring loop includes a Li sampler toanalyze impurity concentration off-line, andinterfaces to two on-line monitors developed in thecollaboration.
3. Construction and commissioning of theIFMIF/EVEDA Li test loop
The ELTL had been constructed for two years
since 2009, and have completed the commissioning(performance tests) on March 2011 in the O-arai
Research and Development Center in the JAEA.
Fig. 3 shows a photograph of the ELTL.
Confinement vessel

Fig. 2 Target assembly (unit: mm)
The loop consists of three floors and a pit inwhich the dump tank is placed. The target assemblyis installed in an air-tight vessel (confinementvessel) on the 3rd floor, and the height of the ELTL
is approximately 20 m from the ground level.
In the commissioning conducted after completingthe construction, the following tests wereperformed: 1) Li ingots installation into the ELTL,
2) Li charging and draining operation, 3) Licirculation tests. In the Li circulation tests, theperformance of each equipment of the ELTL wasaimed to be checked, and was confirmed to satisfy
pre-defined specifications. In a final phase of thecirculation tests, in the target assembly, stableliquid Li flow at a velocity of 5 m/s wassuccessfully achieved in a pressure condition of
0.12 MPa of Ar gas (Fig. 3).
4. Summary
The EVEDA Li test loop as a major Japaneseactivity on the Li target system in theIFMIF/EVEDA had been designed and constructedin the O-arai site of the JAEA since Mar. 2009. The
construction and subsequent commissioning wascompleted on March 2011. The Li target at avelocity of 5 m/s was successfully achieved in thecommissioning.

Pit (dump tank)Fig.3. Front view of the ELTL

Reference[1] H. Nakamura, P. Agostini, K. Ara, S. Fukada, K.
Furuya, et al., “Status of engineering design of liquid
lithium target in IFMIF-EVEDA”, Fus. Eng. Des. 84,2-6, June 2009, 252-258