Neutron Collimator for the Diagnostic System of Neutral Particle Analyzers of the ITER Tokamak

Physics of Atomic Nuclei - A neutron collimator is developed to attenuate the neutron flux and reduce the residual induced activity in the interportal space of the diagnostic system of neutral...     

Design Features of the Neutral Particle Diagnostic System for the ITER Tokamak

The control of the deuterium–tritium (DT) fuel isotopic ratio has to ensure the best performance of the ITER thermonuclear fusion reactor. The diagnostic system described in this paper allows the measurement of this ratio analyzing the hydrogen isotope fluxes (performing neutral particle analysis (NPA)). The development and supply of the NPA diagnostics for ITER was delegated to the Russian Federation. The diagnostics is being developed at the Ioffe Institute. The system consists of two analyzers, viz., LENPA (Low Energy Neutral Particle Analyzer) with 10–200 keV energy range and HENPA (High Energy Neutral Particle Analyzer) with 0.1–4.0MeV energy range. Simultaneous operation of both analyzers in different energy ranges enables researchers to measure the DT fuel ratio both in the central burning plasma (thermonuclear burn zone) and at the edge as well. When developing the diagnostic complex, it was necessary to account for the impact of several factors: high levels of neutron and gamma radiation, the direct vacuum connection to the ITER vessel, implying high tritium containment, strict requirements on reliability of all units and mechanisms, and the limited space available for accommodation of the diagnostic hardware at the ITER tokamak. The paper describes the design of the diagnostic complex and the engineering solutions that make it possible to conduct measurements under tokamak reactor conditions. The proposed engineering solutions provide a safe—with respect to thermal and mechanical loads—common vacuum channel for hydrogen isotope atoms to pass to the analyzers; ensure efficient shielding of the analyzers from the ITER stray magnetic field (up to 1 kG); provide the remote control of the NPA diagnostic complex, in particular, connection/disconnection of the NPA vacuum beamline from the ITER vessel; meet the ITER radiation safety requirements; and ensure measurements of the fuel isotopic ratio under high levels of neutron and gamma radiation.